City of Randolph violates the Macks Creek Law in state audit

Intro:	A violation of a speed trap law prompts State Auditor Susan Montee to investigate more areas in Missouri. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: State Auditor Susan Montee says the violation of the speed trap law will allow her office to audit areas in Missouri that are receiving complaints about high traffic violations issued.

Montee says Randolph County Municipal Courts gave poor oversight of the number of traffic violations, and is results in the majority of the county's revenue passing the legal amount.

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Description: "We are going to go out and look for this in other municipal courts. Of course we have done a lot and haven't seen it yet, this was our first one, but certainly we have gotten a lot of calls about other areas that could be in violation."

Montee says the audit will allow for further investigation of where the money is going to in Randolph County.

From Jefferson City, I'm Becky May.

Intro:	State Auditor Susan Montee plans to audit more areas in Missouri after a speed trap law was violated in a Kansas City suburb. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: State Auditor Susan Montee released a report putting the Randolph Police Department under scrutiny for breaking the Macks Creek Law, also known as the speed trap law.

The violation of this law leads Montee's office to do further investigations in counties around Missouri.

Montee says there are complaints coming in from other areas that fit in with the speed trap.

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Description: "You know this is something that clearly fits the violation of the speed trap law. It's clearly a speed trap by the definition set by the legislature. So if they say they got stopped at a speed trap, they probably did."

This law says no more than 35 percent of a city's revenue can come from fines and court costs for traffic violations.

Montee estimates 75 to 83 percent of the county's revenue came from traffic fines collected in 2009.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Becky May.

Intro:	Pocketing of traffic fees prompts State Auditor Susan Montee to investigate other areas in Missouri. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Randolph County is the first county in 15 years to violate the Macks Creek Law but could be the first of many.

State Auditor Susan Montee says her office will continue to investigate other counties to see if there are in fault of the speed trap law.

This law limits the amount of money police can collect from citizens for traffic violations.

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Description: "If in fact the city collects more then the allowed 35 percent it is supposed to go to the schools. So if there is a reason to overenforce an area then the schools should benefit by that."

Montee says auditing in several other cities will take place this year.

Reporting from the capitol, I'm Becky May.