SAPD says it will be partnering with Lights On! — a program that works with law enforcement and auto service providers to replace broken taillight tickets using repair vouchers handed out by officers.
KIN MAN HUI/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
San Antonio Express-News
Gabriella Ybarra, Staff writer
Drivers stopped by police for broken taillights will soon be given vouchers instead of tickets so they can get their lights fixed at an auto shop.
The San Antonio Police Department said it is partnering with Lights On! — a program that works with law enforcement and auto service providers to replace tickets and warnings with repair voucher.
The vouchers will cover up to $250 to get the light fixed at a participating auto shop.
San Antonio will be the first Texas city to participate in a program of this kind, SAPD said. The formal announcement of the program is set for Monday.
A video with testimonials from police chiefs around the country who use the program features San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
“(Lights On!) is a big step toward maintaining and strengthening the strong community relationship every police department strives for,” McManus says.
Lights On! says it “pays the bills” to get the light bulbs replaced and “coordinates all administration & fundraising.”
The program’s goals include improving relations between police and residents and making the cars on the road safer.
“Lights On! provides a new approach to a societal problem — instead of punishing drivers for broken lights, we turn a dreaded traffic stop into an opportunity to create positive interactions between communities and law enforcement,” according to the program.
The program has had over 8,000 vouchers redeemed and has 163 law enforcement partners in 21 states, according to its website. It started in Minneapolis in 2017.
Another program goal is helping low-income drivers.
According to its website, 1 in 3 voucher recipients had household incomes below $30,000. It says a 2020 survey showed that 1 in 5 of people receiving a voucher said they “would have been unlikely or very unlikely” to repair their lights if they hadn’t gotten a voucher.