3-213.   Citation in lieu of arrest.
Whenever the Animal Control Officer, or any police officer, determines there has been a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, in lieu of obtaining a warrant for arrest of the offender, the officer may prepare a written notice to appear in city court, containing the name and address of such person, the offense charged, and the time when such person shall appear in city court. The time specified for appearance shall be not less than five (5) days from the date of issuance to appear, unless the person cited agrees to a shorter period. The cited person shall sign one copy of the notice to appear. Signing of the notice to appear shall constitute the cited person's promise to appear on the date specified in the notice.
One copy of the notice to appear shall be delivered to the cited person.
No person shall violate the written promise to appear upon issuance of a citation regardless of the disposition of the charge for which such citation was issued. Any person convicted of violation of the provisions of this paragraph shall be subject to a fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) in addition to any penalty for a violation of the original charge.
The city clerk is hereby authorized to accept pleas of guilty for violations of this chapter, to accept designated fines in connection with such pleas, issue receipts therefore, and appear for such person in court for the purpose of entering pleas of guilty, all in accordance with such procedures as may be established by the judge of the city court.
Such fines shall be accepted upon entry of any plea of guilty before the city clerk. The amount of such fine to be accepted shall be so designated by rule of court promulgated by the judge of the city court; provided that no such fine may be accepted for a sum less than the minimum fine imposed by any section of this chapter for such offense.
Any person given a citation for violation of any provisions of this chapter may post the fine appropriate thereto and notify the city clerk that such person will appear before trial, in which case the matter may be entered on the docket for trial. In addition to the fines specified hereinabove, there shall be costs assessed in such cases in accordance with standard costs collected by the city court in any other such proceedings.