INKSTER – Residents with outstanding civil infraction and
misdemeanor warrants have the opportunity to appear in court without getting arrested,
under the Wayne County Amnesty Program.

The program, which runs from March 28-April 29, could impact
hundreds of people who have warrants out in surrounding cities and are living
in fear of getting arrested.

The courts participating in the program are the 19th District Court
in Dearborn, 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights, 22nd District Court in
Inkster, 25th District Court in Lincoln Park, 27th District Court in Wyandotte,
28th District Court in Southgate, 29th District Court in Wayne and the 32nd District
Court in Harper Woods and Grosse Pointe Park.

Spearheading the program is 22nd District Court Chief Judge
Sabrina L. Johnson, who told The Arab American News that residents with such
offenses should have an opportunity to fix their mistakes.

Many of these bench warrants stem from traffic violations, such as
driving with a suspended license. Some of the individuals failed to appear in
court following their violations.

“There are a lot of people who made the decision not to come to
court because they didn’t have any money,” Johnson said. “It’s better if you
walk in than if you are brought in by law enforcement.”

Chief Judge Sabrina L. Johnson of the 22nd District Court is spearheading the Amnesty program.

Johnson noted that there are residents living in fear of their
bench warrants. If an officer stops them, it results in an arrest that could
keep them in jail over the weekend and amount to additional fines.

In many cases, people with bench warrants aren’t able to apply for
work, leaving them unemployed and living their lives in the shadows.

Inkster initially had a Warrant Amnesty Program, but Johnson noted
that many people were still afraid to come in because they had warrants out in
other cities.

“I noticed that there were folks who were still afraid to come in
on an outstanding warrant because they know they also have warrants in other jurisdictions,”
Johnson said. “I wanted to do something that was comprehensive, that would
include other district courts. Folks shouldn’t be afraid to come in here. I
want to encourage them to walk into any district court.”

Johnson is aiming to focus on minority groups with the program, in
an effort to build relations among law enforcement and residents.

She said in some cases, people with outstanding bench warrants
attempt to flee from the police, which could results in violent confrontations
with officers.

“I do think it disproportionately affects folks in minority
communities,” Johnson said. “In some communities, English is not a first
language. They are just afraid. They are living in fear day to day. I believe
folks who flee from the police…it’s because they have a warrant and don’t want
to be taken to jail.”

Part of Johnson’s objective was to also reach out to the Arab
community.

Her intern, Ali Najaf, was in charge of organizing the program.
Having worked at the Inkster court for just a few months, he recognized the
positive implications such a program could have on individuals.

“The looks on people’s faces after they walk out of the court and
had just cleared their record is priceless,” Najaf said. “They feel this huge
burden just lifted right off their shoulders.”

Under the program, when individuals turn themselves into the court
within the one month period, their warrants will be recalled.

The judge will issue a personal bond to the individual and set a
court date for an additional hearing.

Judge Johnson said she would give individuals a reasonable amount
of time to pay off the court fees and fines attached to their cases.

“I will give you time to pay,” she said. “We will work with you. The
most important thing is to walk in so we can recall the warrant. Just seeing
your face and letting us know that you are ready to deal with it speaks
volumes.”

Individuals who have warrants out for felonies would not be
eligible for the program.

The 22nd District Court operates Monday through Friday from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The courthouse is located at 26279 Michigan Ave. in
Inkster.

Dearborn participates

On Thursday, the 19th District Court
in Dearborn announced it was participating in the program. Chief Judge Sam
Salamey said the move was in the best interest of local citizens.

“At
this time we believe it is in the best interest of all to provide citizens with
an opportunity to resolve their outstanding tickets, avoid possible arrest and
take advantage of the court waiving late penalties and fees,” said Salamey.

Dearborn added
that during the period of amnesty, drivers with a suspended license would have
their ticket price reduced to the original fine, plus the $45.00 driver license
clearance fee. Upon full payment, the court will notify the Secretary of State
to lift the suspension.

The court noted
that the program was a one-time effort, and once it clears its backlog of bench
warrants, it plans to “continue to move more aggressively to enforce and
collect on unpaid tickets, including all penalties and late fees.”