# question about public drinking ordinances



## Guest (May 25, 2009)

hey guys, quick question. last night i was over at a friend's apartment, we grilled some steaks, watched a movie, nothing really out of control. stupidly, my friend and i decide to take a beer for the walk back to the T. we pass a cop car, which then pulls up to us and asks us to put the beers down, etc. one of the guys was nice enough, and my friend and i were both honest figuring lying would just be really stupid, especially considering the incident. so my friend and i get ordinances for drinking alcohol in public for $200 each. i don't mind paying, i know it was a stupid thing to do, but i've never had any encounter with an officer before. do i have a record now or something? do ordinances work like parking tickets (in the level of severity)?

also, would this show up on a CORI form that was filled out on May 7th? thanks in advance, and again i'm not looking to get out of this, just want to know what happens next and in the future. i assume i'm getting mailed the citation.


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

Being a T-Cop, the drinking ordinances are only valid on the trains or physically at one of the stations.

I would appeal if I were you.


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## twc3091 (May 25, 2009)

k, just registered so i can reply. it wasn't directly at a T station, but probably about a block away from one, little less maybe. they were parked about a minute walk from it.


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Thank You for registering


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

This is a Bilaw/ordinance violation. It is arrestable and does show up on CORI usualy as such. That being said, it carries a money fine penalty and notmuch more. I thinkthat the bilaw/ordinance varies from place to place as do the fines. I would not sweat it too much, go to court if it's a summons and ask for mercy from the judge. It could be that the ordinance in that jurisdiction only calls for a citation. If that's the case, it is quite possible that no CORI/BOP entry will occur andthey are just looking for their money. So pay it or appealitin a timely manner to avoid this citation becoming a warrant.


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## twc3091 (May 25, 2009)

there's no summons date listed on the notice, but on the back there's instructions to either A-1) sign at the bottom agreeing to pay the fine and mail back cash or check to the city of boston or (A-2) to roxbury PD, or B) appeal. i have 21 days to do either. im just going to pay it and get it out of the way. thanks for the advice here, much appreciated.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

twc3091 said:


> there's no summons date listed on the notice, but on the back there's instructions to either A-1) sign at the bottom agreeing to pay the fine and mail back cash or check to the city of boston or (A-2) to roxbury PD, or B) appeal. i have 21 days to do either. im just going to pay it and get it out of the way. thanks for the advice here, much appreciated.


Sounds like a civil infraction. Meaning no CORI most likely. In other words pay it or appeal it. I would say just pay it, considering that you are admitting to the infraction. If you appeal it, and admit to the infraction in front of a clerk, they will just find you responsible anyway. You can appeal it if you like. You will lose a day of work/classes etc. One ofmy brother officers will surely get his obgligatory 4 Hrs. O.T.

Any way, your main worry was criminal record I believe. It appears by what you say here, it is not going to happen. Good luck. It is always nice to see a person aproaching this site's community with a level of respect.


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## trueblue (Jan 21, 2008)

twc3091 said:


> there's no summons date listed on the notice, but on the back there's instructions to either A-1) sign at the bottom agreeing to pay the fine and mail back cash or check to the city of boston or (A-2) to roxbury PD, or B) appeal. i have 21 days to do either. im just going to pay it and get it out of the way. thanks for the advice here, much appreciated.


Roxbury has their own police department?


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

trueblue said:


> Roxbury has their own police department?


It's not that far away from Mattapan PD.


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## twc3091 (May 25, 2009)

mtc said:


> But DON'T mail cash !!


hey guys, me again. alright, well I'm stupid and did what I was told not to, I just wanted to get it out of the way and the bank was closed (I never use checks, debit card 99% of the time), so I wrapped the money in several sheets of paper, sealed the edges, put that in a security envelope with the citation form and labeled it. then I put that envelope in ANOTHER security envelope, sealed it, and mailed it off to the City of Boston with three stamps. but no one can tell me who handles payments for the violations. I've called city hall, talked to the clerks office, parking violations, boston PD HQ, the district 2 PD (the one that handed out the ordinance violation in Mission Hill), and the city court. no one can tell me where the violation was sent to and processed.

can I call the roxbury court house? I just want to confirm receipt, but since I sent cash I might be f***ed here.

also a question: all of this seems really disorganized. no one seems to know where the violation would be sent, District 2 PD told me the citation I received acted like a parking ticket in the way it was handled/processed, and that the yellow copy of the violation is all sent to city hall, but they looked my name up and there's nothing entered in the computer, no outstanding fine or violation of any sort, my name wasn't anywhere in the system. gave them my birth date too, couldn't find anything.

if it means not getting a warrant out for my arrest, i'll pay this thing again (this time with a check or money order), but since i was required to send in the violation slip WITH the fine, i no longer have a record of that. am i supposed to just address a check to the city? i'm kind of lost here, i'd really appreciate some help or feedback.


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

You are a moron


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## SgtAndySipowicz (Mar 17, 2008)

trueblue said:


> Roxbury has their own police department?


I think they go by the name "Black Panthers" or "Acorn", I think..............

I think he/she is "media" like that other guy.....


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## twc3091 (May 25, 2009)

justanotherparatrooper said:


> You are a moron


I understand that, I just want to know what the next step is. Go down to city hall?


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## HousingCop (May 14, 2004)

twc3091 said:


> I understand that, I just want to know what the next step is. Go down to city hall?


*The best day to go to Boston City Hall to pay fines or taxes is the day the city celebrates Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day. Absolutely no lines at all.*


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## SPINMASS (Jan 30, 2004)

HousingCop may have just given you the best advice you are going to get.


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## MetrowestPD (Oct 21, 2008)

Please send next payment to: Cash C/o MetrowestPD don't forget the $50 surcharge for the late fee.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2009)

trueblue said:


> Roxbury has their own police department?


Back in the 80's when all the Straughter and New World Security morons were running around, you would have thought so.


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

twc3091 said:


> there's no summons date listed on the notice, but on the back there's instructions to either A-1) sign at the bottom agreeing to pay the fine and mail back cash or check to the city of boston or (A-2) to roxbury PD, or B) appeal. i have 21 days to do either. im just going to pay it and get it out of the way. thanks for the advice here, much appreciated.


Since many of the members here are cops, just make out the $50 money order to MassCops. You'll get a bumper sticker and window decal that is recognized only by us.

It'll save you aggravation in the long run.

(It got me out of a speeding ticket once)


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## Mortal knight (Jun 17, 2003)

Obviously he didn't go to college, by the time you graduate you know:
A) no drinking in public
B) put it in a solo cup
and
C) IF you must drink it in a can or bottle, hide it when passing a cop.


You live and learn.


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## 94c (Oct 21, 2005)

Mortal knight said:


> C) IF you must drink it in a can or bottle, hide it when passing a cop.


So that's what they're doing with those paper bags?


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## MetrowestPD (Oct 21, 2008)

Mortal knight said:


> Obviously he didn't go to college, by the time you graduate you know:
> A) no drinking in public
> B) put it in a solo cup
> and
> ...


Yeah, because we never take notice to someone quickly hiding something and not showing us their hands, not always the smartest move.


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## SPINMASS (Jan 30, 2004)

> Yeah, because we never take notice to someone quickly hiding something and not showing us their hands, not always the smartest move.


Don't let the courts know that we take notice, they will start saying that we are harrasing people. Oh wait they already do!


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