Bedford accepting food donations to reduce fines from outstanding warrants
Bedford wants to help people during the holidays who have outstanding warrants by giving them a chance to donate food to help start a payment plan and offset their fines.
But two weeks after the program launched, few have taken advantage of it, said Natalie Foster, a spokeswoman for the city.
“This is a brand new program this year, and we want to get the word out,” she said.
Foster said the idea is to help people who are struggling to make payments because of the pandemic and to provide food donations for needy families.
“This is a way to give back to the community during tough times,” she said.
She said the city can donate food to nonprofits that can help families in need, and people can get credit toward paying off their fines.
Municipal Court Manager Doug Campbell and municipal judge Timothy Murphy came up with the idea, Foster said.
How it works
People who have outstanding warrants can bring nonperishable food items of up to $100 in value for a credit toward their warrant balance. People will have 30 days to make their next payment.
The food must be in bags, and people must bring a receipt showing the food was purchased.
Municipal courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases including traffic violations where the maximum fine doesn’t exceed $500, and where no jail sentence may be assessed.
The court also hears cases involving city ordinance violations where fines can be as much as $2,000 for certain offenses.
Donations will be accepted at the Bedford Municipal Court, 2000 Forest Ridge Dr., Bedford, 76021, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program runs through Dec. 16.
Contact the Bedford Municipal Court at 817-952-2152 for additional details.
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 2:55 PM.