The Wichita Police Department is offering a monthly program called Second Chance Thursdays to help people clear traffic warrants and get new court dates issued.
Police officer Lori Kimrey said this is a chance for people with traffic warrants issued by the city to get new court dates. She said it’s mostly for traffic cases, such as driving while suspended, seat belt violations, no proof of insurance, and running a stop sign. It can also get new court dates for city warrants on probation violations and notices to appear.
Kimrey said people can go in to clear a warrant and sign a paper for a new court date, but if they miss the new court date, it will turn into a warrant again. The program will be offered from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, February 11th at the Community Policing Office at 5803 West Central.
Kimrey said the program is being offered because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and police are trying to reduce the number of people going to court and going to jail for traffic issues because of the concern over spreading the virus. She said some of the violations can be paid online. The department has brochures with more information for people who come in for the program.
The city currently has around 14,000 active traffic warrants, and Officer Kimrey said this is a way to reduce that number and keep people from going to jail. She said this is for city warrants only and will not apply to Sedgwick County warrants.
