Ticket Offence Items

Ticket Offence Items define the specific violations (e.g., "Parked with No Proof of Payment," "Expired Meter") that can be issued within OPS-COM. This feature allows administrators to configure fine amounts, discounts, and specific behaviors for each offence, ensuring accurate and consistent enforcement across both web and handheld platforms.

Using this Feature

1. Hover over System Configuration, then Violations, and click Manage Ticket Offence Items.
2. The Manage Ticket Offence Items page opens. This page provides comprehensive tools to add, edit, and configure individual offence items.

Adding a New Offence Item

1. In the top left box, select the Ticket Category (e.g., "Private Property") you wish to add an offence item to, or choose Unassigned Offence Items.
2. Click Add New Offence Item. 
3. Fill out the following fields:
   • Enter the Violation Type Description (e.g., "Parked With No Proof Of Payment").
   • Select the Ticket Category it belongs to (e.g., "Private Property").
   • Enter a Key. This optional field indicates specific tracking codes for violations (e.g., internal audit codes).
   • Enter a By-Law code This optional field is used by municipalities to link violations to specific by-laws when sending them to court for collections. It is a text field that accepts up to 20 alphanumeric characters.
   • Enable the Administrative Fee if required. (More about this below)
   • Fine Amount, Adjustable Fine Amount, and Discount Settings are covered below.
4. Click Save New Offence Item when complete.

Setting the Fine Amount and Discount

• Fine Amount: Set the base fine amount (e.g., "$30.00").
• Apply Discount: Enable this checkbox if you wish to offer a discount for early payment.
  • Discount Amount: Enter the amount of the discount (e.g., "$10.00").
  • Discount Days: Set the number of days within which the discount applies (e.g., "14" days).
  • Example: If the fine is $30.00, and a discount of $10.00 is applied if paid within 14 days, the collected fine will be $20.00. After 14 days, the discount does not apply, and the full $30.00 is due.

5. Click Save Ticket Offence Item to save this configuration. You will be returned to the list view with your new offence listed under its Ticket Category.

Is This Fine Amount Adjustable?

This can be useful for scenarios such as repeat offenders or multiple offences. Officers can, at their discretion, increase the ticket amount (e.g., for repeat violations) or reduce it (e.g., when issuing multiple violations for less than the combined full amount), in accordance with your organization's business rules.

Enable the Adjust Fine Amount checkbox in the ticket configuration screen:

• Default - (Off): By default, this feature is turned off. The fine amount will appear on handheld units as a grey, non-editable figure.
• Enabled - (On): When turned on, the fine amount will appear in black text on handheld units, allowing patrol officers to edit the amount.

Administration Fees

Admin Fees are useful for charges like Conviction Fees or Booting Fees.  Offence items designated as Administration Fees do not show on handheld units. They are only visible on the admin interface, ensuring field officers don't issue them directly.

You can designate an offence item as an Administration Fee by selecting the Administrative Fee checkbox.

• Configuration Example: To set up a $20.00 administration fee for removing a boot from a vehicle:
  1. Toggle the Administration Fee checkbox On. This will also prevent the offence item from being synced with handhelds.
  2. Set the Fine Amount to "$20.00".
  3. Click Save Ticket Offence Item.

Editing, Deleting, and Archiving Offence Items

• Editing: Click the Pencil icon next to the Offence Item and make your changes. Click the Update Ticket Offence Item button to confirm.
• Deletion: Ticket Offence Items can only be deleted if there are no violations already written for that particular offence item.
• Archiving: Once a violation has been issued using a specific Offence Item, that item can no longer be deleted. Instead, it will be archived to preserve the integrity of any data associated with it, ensuring historical reports remain accurate.

Best Practices & Considerations

• Clear and Specific Offence Names: Use descriptive names for offence items to avoid ambiguity (e.g., "No Parking - Fire Lane" vs. "Parking Violation").
• Fine and Discount Strategy: Carefully define your fine amounts and discount structures to encourage timely payment and align with your enforcement policies.
• Handheld Visibility Management: Strategically decide which offence items are visible on handhelds. Keep the list concise for field officers, moving less common or admin-only fees to the "Administration Fees" category.
• By-Law Code Accuracy: For municipalities, ensure the By-Law Code is accurately entered and consistent with legal requirements for court collections.
• Ordering Violation Types: The system sorts the list of violation types alphanumerically. To achieve a specific custom sort order on both admin interfaces and handheld units, you can prefix the Offence Item Name with numbers or spaces. (A space is considered higher than an 'A'.)
  • Example: Zebra Offence, Test Offence, A Test Offence
• Leverage "Adjust Fine Amount" with clear business rules for officers, and properly categorize "Violation Applies To" (Vehicle vs. User) to fit various enforcement scenarios.

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