A. Issuance Of Traffic Citation:
1. If a police officer observes facts which he believes constitute a violation of the traffic ordinances of the city, by a resident thereof, in lieu of arresting such person, he may take his name, address, operator's license number, the license number of the motor vehicle involved and any other pertinent information, and may issue to him, in writing in a form prescribed by state law, a traffic citation embracing the above information, stating the traffic violation alleged to have occurred and notifying him to answer to the charge against him in the municipal court at a time (not later than 5 days thereafter or the next municipal court date) specified in the citation.
2. The officer, upon receiving the written promise of the alleged violator (on the citation) to answer as specified, shall release said person from custody. If the person to whom a citation is issued fails to answer as prescribed in the citation, a complaint shall be filed and the case shall be prosecuted as otherwise provided in this chapter.
B. Parking Violations; Citation Placed On Vehicle:
1. If the alleged offense constitutes violation of any parking ordinance and the operator is not present, the police officer shall place on the vehicle, at a place reasonably likely to come to the notice of the operator, an appropriate citation (subsection A of this section), with such variations as the circumstances require.
2. The operator of the vehicle shall be under the same obligation to respond to the citation as if it had been issued to him personally under other provisions of this section. (1985 Code § 11-12; amd. 2004 Code)