City of Bellevue, Nebraska Police Department

First, you must determine what type of ticket it is. There are four types of tickets which are regularly issued by Bellevue Police Officers. Examine the citation and see if it marked Vehicle Defect, Warning, Nebraska Uniform Citation and Complaint, or Parking Citation.

Vehicle defect cards (sometimes known as "courtesy tickets" or "fix-a-tickets") require you to correct whatever defect is noted on the card within 5 days of the issuing date and then show that the violation has been corrected to a law enforcement officer. Once the officer signs off on the citation, the citation needs to be turned into the Bellevue Police Department.

Should you get your defect card signed by a Bellevue Police Officer, he or she will then take it from you and turn it in. If you get another law enforcement agency to sign off on the defect card, you must either deliver it to the Bellevue Police Department or mail it to: Bellevue Police Department, 2207 Washington Street, Bellevue, NE 68005.

If you live in the City Of Bellevue and would like to get the vehicle defect card signed off by a police officer, you can either show up in person at the front desk of the Bellevue Police Department located at 2207 Washington Street, or you can attempt to locate an officer who is on patrol. DO NOT APPROACH OR STOP YOUR VEHICLE BEHIND AN OFFICER WHO IS CONDUCTING A TRAFFIC STOP OR IS ON A CALL. Wait patiently until the officer has finished the stop and has released the other vehicle before approaching him or her. Also, wait for the officer to approach you or motion for you to approach.

Warning citations are issued by Bellevue Police Officers to document that you have been given a warning about the particular offense which has been checked. Warning tickets do not carry a fine or require you to appear in court, nor do they constitute points against your license.

Traffic Citations or State Of Nebraska Uniform Citation and Complaints are what most people refer to as "traffic tickets." A citation requires you to either pay the scheduled fine, go to court on the listed date, or take the Sarpy County Defensive Driving Course (known as the S.T.O.P. class).

If the "Waiver Allowed" box is checked at the bottom of the citation, you are allowed to plead guilty to the listed offense without having to appear in court. If you choose to plead guilty, you must pay the scheduled fine and the accompanying court costs. Check the back of the citation for payment instructions.

If you wish to contest the citation, or the "You must appear in court" box is checked, you must appear in court on the date and time which are listed on the citation. Your court date is listed just below the issuing officer's name.

If you need to reschedule your court date or you are unable to make it to court on the scheduled date, contact the Sarpy County Attorney's Office at 593-2230 as soon as possible.

Parking Citations are issued for parking in violation of Bellevue City Ordinances. If you wish to pay the parking citation, you must bring your copy of the citation as well as the listed fine to the Bellevue City Hall located at 210 West Mission Avenue in Olde Town Bellevue. All fines double if not paid within seven (7) days after issuance of the citation.

Point System

How many points will this be against my license? How many points do I get?

The Director of the Nebraska Department Of Motor Vehicles will revoke the operator's license of any person who accumulates a total of twelve (12) or more points within any period of two years and will require such person to attend and successfully complete a driver's education and training course consisting of at least eight hours of instruction approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Such instruction shall be successfully completed before the operator's license may be reinstated. Each person who attends such instruction shall pay the cost of such course.

Such revocation shall be for a period of six months from the date of the signing of the order of revocation or six months from the date of the release of such person from the jail or a Department of Correctional Services adult correctional facility, whichever is the later, unless a longer period of revocation was directed by the terms of the abstract of the judgment of conviction transmitted to the director by the trial court.

EXCEPTIONS: Violations involving an occupant protection system, parking violations, violations for operating a motor vehicle without a valid operator's license in the operator's possession, muffler violations, overwidth, overheight, or overlength violations, motorcycle or moped protective helmet violations, or overloading of trucks.

Lost Citations

I Lost My Citation. What Do I Do?

If you have lost your copy of either a courtesy citation or a parking citation, come to the front desk of the main station located at 2207 Washington Street. The front desk clerk will be able to assist you. Please bring either your driver's license, state identification card, or military identification with you.

If you have lost your copy of a traffic citation, you need to contact the Sarpy County Attorney's Office at 1210 Golden Gate Drive in Papillion or call 593-2230. They will be able to assist you in handling this situation.

Impounded Vehicles

My vehicle was towed by the Bellevue Police. How do I get it back? Can I get items from my vehicle?

Vehicles are towed by the Bellevue Police for various reasons. First, contact the Bellevue Police Department at 293-3100 to see if your vehicle can be picked up.

Some vehicles may have holds on them for various reasons (proof of ownership, nuisance holds, holds for further investigation), so call ahead to make sure that your vehicle does not have a hold on it. If there is a hold on your vehicle, the front desk clerk will tell you what needs to be done before your vehicle can be released.

Once you have verified that your vehicle is not being held for another reason, you must appear in person at the main station , which is located at 2207 Washington Street. Make sure you bring with you a valid identification card (Such as a State driver's license or identification card, or a current military I.D. card) and proof of ownership for the vehicle.

Once your identification and your proof of ownership has been verified, you will be required to pay all administrative and tow fees before your vehicle is released. After these fees have been paid in full, you will be informed where your vehicle has been towed and provided with a yellow copy of the "Vehicle Impound/Recovery Report." YOU MUST TAKE THIS FORM WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO TO PICK UP YOUR VEHICLE. THE TOW LOT WILL NOT RELEASE YOUR VEHICLE WITHOUT THIS FORM.

If you would like to remove property from your vehicle before you pick it up from the impound lot, you must pay the administrative and tow fees. The registered owner of any impounded vehicle has the right to remove any and all personal property including, but not limited to: clothing, medications, tools, tapes, or any other items that is not considered an attached part of the vehicle (such as a radio, CB, tape player, or other items that are attached to the vehicle).

Abandonded Vehicles

What can I do about an abandoned vehicle?

To report an abandoned vehicle, contact the Bellevue Police at 293-3100.

If a vehicle is abandoned on public property, an officer will be sent out to check the vehicle and will attempt to make contact with the owner of the vehicle to have it moved. If the officer cannot locate the registered owner, he or she will place a warning notice ("red tag") conspicuously on the vehicle and mark the tires. If the vehicle is not moved within the time specified on the warning notice, the vehicle will be impounded. The last registered owner of the vehicle will be held liable for the cost of removal and storage of the vehicle.

If a vehicle is abandoned on private property, an officer will be dispatched to check on the vehicle. The officer will then attempt to make contact with the property owner and inform them that he or she can make arrangements to have the vehicle towed from the property. If the owner terminates permission for a vehicle to remain on his or her property, the police department will impound the vehicle after seven days have passed as required by Nebraska State Statute 60-1901.

All reports of "junked" vehicles as defined in sections 18-131 to 18-134 of the Bellevue City Code which are on private property will be referred to Code Enforcement. A Code Enforcement Inspector will check the complaint to ensure that the vehicle meets the requirements of a junked vehicle. If the vehicle is determined to be a junked vehicle, the Code Enforcement Inspector will send the property owner a certified letter advising the property owner to remove the vehicle or take corrective action. If the junked vehicle is not removed within the time limit granted by the Code Enforcement Inspector, the vehicle will be towed by Code Enforcement or the Police Department if necessary.

Parking Violations

What are the more common parking violations enforced by the Bellevue Police?

Some of the more common parking violations are listed below

Parking facing the flow of traffic is not allowed

Vehicles must be parked with their passenger side tires next to the curb. This is meant to reduce accident problems since drivers would have to drive left of center to park facing the flow of traffic

Parking close to the curb is required

Your vehicle wheels must be no more than twelve inches from the curb. This prevents traffic congestion and obstructed views of oncoming traffic

Parking in front of public or private driveways is prohibited

Vehicles cannot park any closer than two feet on either side of any driveway.This does include parking your vehicle in front of your own driveway. This is designed to make easy access for emergency vehicles and personnel in the event of an emergency

Parking in a handicapped zone is prohibited

Parking in handicapped zones is prohibited on both public and private property

Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant is prohibited

This to ensure that fire personnel can have easy access to hydrants in case of a fire.

Parking within 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign, or other traffic control device on the side of the road is prohibited

This is meant to reduce accidents by ensuring that motorists can clearly see these signs and take appropriate action

Parking in a fire lane, or within 20' of the driveway entrance to any fire station; and on the side of street, highway or roadway opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75' of such entrance.

This was created to ensure that emergency vehicles can respond to calls quickly

"Long and continuous" parking is prohibited

Vehicles parked on the street cannot remain parked in the same location for more than 72 hours if such parking interferes with street maintenance or traffic flow.

Parking on a sidewalk is prohibited

Vehicles cannot be parked in driveways so that they extend out past the sidewalk where people would have to walk in the street to get around them

Parking on yard space is not allowed

Vehicles must be parked on a poured concrete surface of at least 180 square feet per vehicle. The parking of vehicles on grass or dirt in a yard is prohibited.

Vehicles must be removed completely from the city streets when the Mayor's office declares a snow emergency. All on-street parking is prohibited until the emergency is lifted. Vehicles not removed will be towed without delay so that they will not hinder the snow removal effort. Adequate notice of the snow emergency is given on local radio and television stations.

Parking a vehicle on a street for the principal purpose of displaying such vehicle "for sale" or for repairing such vehicle is prohibited.

The only exception to this ordinance is if the repairs are being made in the event of an emergency.

Traffic Accidents

I've been involved in an accident? What do I do now? How can I get a copy of the accident report?

If you have been involved in an accident, the first thing that you need to remember is to stay calm. Although accidents are a traumatic experience, it only makes it worse to panic.

First, check yourself for injuries. If you have been seriously injured (large puncture wounds, broken bones, or serious head, neck, back, or chest pain) do not move UNLESS there is an emergency such as a vehicle fire or other emergencies which puts your life is in danger if you stay in your vehicle. Otherwise remain as still as possible in your vehicle until medical personnel arrive on the scene to assist you.

If you have checked yourself for injuries and found that you have not been seriously injured, check on any passenger in your vehicle, especially small children and infants. If you find that they have been seriously injured or rendered unconscious, try to prevent them from moving and call 911 immediately (or have a passer-by call 911 for you).

If no one else in your vehicle has been seriously injured, carefully exit your vehicle (watching for approaching traffic) and check on anyone else who was involved in the accident. If they are injured or incapacitated, call 911 immediately.

Do not move your vehicle or leave the scene until you are told to do so by the police officers who respond to the scene. Carefully attempt to locate witnesses at the scene and ask them to wait until the police arrive. If no one has called 911 up to this point, call them yourself or have a passer-by call them. Then wait patiently until the police arrive.

The police officer who responds will then investigate the accident and will give you further instructions.

DO NOT LEAVE THE SCENE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO BY THE POLICE. Leaving the scene of an accident is a separate crime for which you may be charged.

What types of accidents are required to be reported to the police?

Accidents which must be reported to the police are:

How can I get a copy of an accident report?

Copies of Bellevue Police accident reports are available at the Bellevue Police Department Records Division, which is located at 102 West Mission (the northwest corner of the intersection of Mission and Franklin in Olde Town Bellevue). Copies of accident reports cost $10.00 each and this fee must be paid before the reports are distributed. Please call ahead to make sure the records division has a copy of your accident report on file.

Accident reports can be obtained Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Accident reports are not available on weekends or Holidays.