For many of us who have worked in law enforcement, 2020 would likely be the year to forget. From protests affecting our communities to a global pandemic causing the courts and criminal justice system to slow down significantly and, at times, even come to a halt, it was certainly a challenging year.

In the Wichita, Kansas, Police Department (WPD), our officers were instructed not to arrest individuals for some traffic-related offenses and even some misdemeanor crimes due to the risks of close contact within our jails. This caused a backlog of cases and warrants for individuals unable to address their offenses. In turn, many people were added to our list of those with outstanding warrants, which ballooned to over 17,000.

Addressing the Problem

In the middle of this crisis, a group of officers from the WPD’s Community Policing Team discussed the large number of outstanding warrants. One officer said, “Everyone deserves a second chance.” This comment got us thinking. We began to design an event to help our community overcome the difficulties brought on by our overtaxed system. As we considered the optimal day to host it, Thursday seemed the best choice. With that, the idea of Second Chance Thursday was born.

Initially, the plan involved officers assessing what they could do to help clear the backlog of outstanding warrants for citizens. They obtained permission and collaborated with our municipal court to address traffic violations. Our court system was happy to assist as this allowed citizens to clear warrants for arrest. Additionally, residents could address other pending court violations, such as environmental warrants for housing or code violations and notices to appear in court that required service for complaints. Our goal was to avoid physically taking people to jail and then escorting them to court.

The program was an immediate success, as evidenced by the number of citizens who took advantage of it. Each open session was well attended, with a steady flow of people coming in to address their situations. Initially, we held the events on the last Thursday of each month.

As staff worked with citizens on these matters, a common theme began to emerge. Many people mentioned that they wanted to take care of their citations so they could work toward getting their driver's license reinstated. Some had citations because they had a system-generated suspended license but never an official driver’s license. Others had suspended or revoked driver’s licenses because of their citations. 

This insight led to a new partnership with the Kansas Department of Revenue, Driver License Bureau (DLB), to attend events and assist citizens in obtaining either a restricted or valid driver’s license. By bringing the DLB on board with our program, it became a one-stop shop where individuals could address their fines and court dates, potentially even obtaining a form of driver’s license upon departure. They did not have to visit multiple locations or worry about whether the system had received payment—all paperwork and payments were done and completed on site.

Having the municipal court on scene has allowed citizens to set up payment plans or pay full balances while also receiving answers to their questions regarding the court process if they still need to report. Our court system and the DLB work together to make payments and set up payment plans to allow our citizens to receive their restricted license. Once the balance is paid, the state automatically mails out the fully reinstated license.

So many people want to resolve outstanding warrants or obtain a valid driver's license, but often, life circumstances prevent them from doing so. Our Second Chance Thursday initiative allows individuals to rectify traffic offenses or work toward reinstating their driver’s license in a way that is easy and convenient.

The program has enhanced both community engagement and trust. To maintain that trust, we clearly advertise what we can and cannot do to help people. We have large signage making it clear that our Second Chance Thursday events cannot assist with criminal warrants, including DUIs, or warrants from other jurisdictions. Additionally, on the day of the event, an officer will stand at the front door and explain the parameters. WPD officers inform citizens before they enter and provide their name that they should be aware that if they have other outstanding warrants, they can leave the event without any repercussions.

Once inside, participants fill out an information sheet to check for any outstanding traffic offenses, pay any outstanding fines or set up payment plans, and then proceed to the DLB area. If, for any reason, they need to attend court, we inform citizens of our walk-in docket, where the court will take the first 10 people in line each day. Our walk-in docket is available every morning, Monday through Friday.

Moving Forward

Currently, we host Second Chance Thursday events three times per year. Late March to early April is the most successful period for our program because it coincides with tax season. For many, having that extra money allows them to take care of their outstanding warrants and citations. We also host events in late June and again in October. November and December are less successful times to stage our program, probably due to holidays and associated travel plans. On average, we have several hundred people attend and clear around 100 warrants. Additionally, 15-30 people are cleared to obtain a restricted license or have their driver's license reinstated, provided they have paid outstanding fines for their offenses.

Although there has been a great deal of interest from third parties, we do not allow outside groups to participate in our program. Law firms in particular have demonstrated interest, but we ruled that this request conflicts with our primary intent of creating a space where our citizens can go through the steps of clearing their issues themselves, which is their right. We wanted no firms soliciting business from people working on these matters nor confusing our citizens into thinking they needed legal assistance to pay fines.

Conclusion

Working in partnership with our court system, we have helped streamline the process and make it easier for citizens to address their legal issues by removing many hurdles and the fear associated with the legal system. Overall, we have been pleased with our program's success and have received positive feedback from those whom it has benefited. Standing up a similar program in your jurisdiction could help both enhance public trust and clear your legal backlog.