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East Cleveland reinstates agreement with collection agency, collects on illegal tickets

Posted at 6:10 AM, Feb 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-28 11:57:14-05

News 5 has learned that East Cleveland is again working with a collection agency to collect on illegal tickets.

They are going after drivers busted at a red light camera.

In court documents, East Cleveland admits it doesn't have the resources to station an officer at every traffic camera, as state law requires.

But that hasn't stopped the city from raking in the cash at your expense.

Not one but two flashes illuminate the corner of Superior Avenue and Coventry Road as Jasmine Robinson's car makes a slow right turn.

"It just flashed my car and we kept going" said Robinson.

Robinson says her friend was behind the wheel but the $95 ticket that came in the mail was addressed to her. What you can't see in the video is the East Cleveland police officer legally required to be stationed near the camera.

When News 5 called East Cleveland police, they admitted they don't have an officer stationed there.

"Given the state of the law, and given the revised code, I believe their actions are outside of the law" said Attorney Daniel Margolis.

That's prompted some drivers we spoke with to simply ignore their tickets. But News 5 has learned in the past week, the city reinstated its agreement with Municipal Collections of America.

News 5 reached out to East Cleveland's mayor but he hasn't returned our calls.

But in the past the city has said that the program has decreased speeding and red light violations, while increasing safety.