TUPD forgives citations during annual Ticket Amnesty Day

Troy University Police Department (TUPD) officers brought students relief  through citation forgiveness. Students walking through the Trojan Center Food Court on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. may have noticed a strong presence from the TUPD, but officers were not there to issue citations. 

Instead, they were helping students eliminate them. Throughout a student’s time at Troy, receiving a parking ticket is a common experience. For many students juggling busy schedules and tasks, finding convenient parking can sometimes lead to costly violations. 

“I was running late for an interview, and I needed to find parking fast,” said Taliyah Speights, a junior social work major from Marianna, Florida. “I parked in the faculty and staff lot for like eight minutes, and when I came back, I had a ticket.” 

Parking fines on campus can range from $50 to $500, adding financial stress on top of tuition and other expenses. To offer relief, the TUPD holds Ticket Amnesty Day each semester. 

Students with outstanding parking tickets, except for handicap parking violations, were able to bring toiletries such as body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, feminine product, hand soap and laundry detergent pods in exchange for reduced or removed fines. Students could also provide any type of canned goods to get rid of their ticket. 

“If you have parking tickets on campus, you can come by with some toiletries or canned goods and get some of those tickets taken off,” said TUPD Sergeant Andrew Garrett. 

All donated items collected during the event benefit the Trojan Pantry, a campus resource that provides food and hygiene products to students experiencing need. 

“I really like it,” Speights said. “I only spent about $12 to $15 helping people who are less fortunate, so it’s a really good way to repay that ticket.” 

TUPD officials say the best way to avoid future citations is to follow campus parking regulations and only park in designated areas. 

The Trojan Pantry is open to all Troy students Tuesday through Friday and is located inside Trojan Village 200. 

For more events from TUPD, visit @troyuniversitypolice on Instagram.