INDIANAPOLIS -- A shortage of traffic tickets within the Indianapolis Police Department may soon mean good news for drivers who like to skirt traffic laws.

Video

Tickets To Run Out In 10 Days

Faced with critical shortages, IPD leaders asked district officers to give up their tickets to the traffic branch, and even borrowed tickets from other police agencies. Even with the rationing, IPD could run out of tickets in 10 days, RTV6's Jack Rinehart reported.

The IPD Traffic Branch has written nearly half of the approximately 100,000 tickets issued by the department this year.

"Because my officers were so low, and then we also took from the district officers, that 5,000 was almost immediately depleted," IPD Traffic Branch Capt. Greg Bieberich said.

Police leaders say the Marion County Superior Court underestimated the number of tickets that police would issue in 2003. In September, officials placed an emergency order for another 15,000 tickets on top of the 200,000 tickets printed for local police agencies.

"It's our job to write tickets, and it's kind of hard to do when you don't have them," IPD Officer Scott Hessong said.

But some ticketed motorists Rinehart spoke with weren't sympathetic.

"If they're running out of tickets, then they could probably narrow it down to better ticket-giving," motorist Jessie Franklin said.

"They don't need to give them out anyway. I mean, half the ones they do give out, they don't need to," motorist Linda Wilson said.

Police admit the ticket shortage has raised the bar of tolerance, forcing officers to ration out tickets to the most serious offenders. But police say there is a definite link between traffic tickets and traffic control.

"Every time they see us on a traffic stop, they slow down. It may be only for a few minutes, but at least they slow down for a brief time," Hessong said.

Police are hoping that their 2004 supply of tickets -- 25 percent more than their 2003 supply -- arrives on time.

In January, the cost of a ticket in Marion County will increase from $110 to $150, Rhinehart reported.