Crime doesn’t pay, it costs, in Rolling Meadows

Getting arrested in Rolling Meadows may cost you another $20 starting next month.

The city council on Tuesday passed the first reading of an ordinance that would impose a new $20 administrative bond processing fee. The ordinance will be up for a final council Nov. 1, and if passed will go into effect immediately.

City officials say Rolling Meadows police process more than 1,000 bonds each year, creating administrative costs that are not otherwise recovered. The new fee would bring in several thousand dollars in additional revenue for the city, Police Chief Dave Scanlon said.

“These people getting arrested are imposing costs on the system, that’s why they need to pay to keep us going,” Mayor Tom Rooney said.

Money collected from the fee will go to the city’s general fund, along with most other revenues generated by the police department.

The ordinance follows state law that allows a municipality to impose a fees for bond processing. Rolling Meadows is setting the fee at the highest allowed rate of $20.

This fee will apply to anyone arrested for violating a bailable municipal ordinance or a state or federal law.

A bailable offense includes anything for which someone is taken into physical custody, including underage drinking, driving without a license, domestic battery or other misdemeanors and felonies. Minor traffic violations such as speeding or parking tickets are not included.