Traffic Bureau
The Traffic Bureau is committed to providing a safe and efficient flow of traffic within the City of Alhambra through a proactive enforcement strategy using a statistical analysis of reported accidents. The Bureau utilizes a community-oriented policing and multi-agency approach to vehicular and pedestrian safety, enforcement, and education.
The Traffic Bureau is responsible for:
- responding to and investigating all fatal traffic collisions that occur within the City of Alhambra.
- identifying areas in the city where an abnormal amount of collisions take place to determine if a change can be made to reduce future collisions.
- investigating all reported hit-and-run collisions through evidence collection, interviewing witnesses, arresting suspects, and the possibility of filing criminal charges.
- scheduling and deployment of DUI checkpoints and/or roving DUI patrols to prevent individuals from driving under the influence or apprehending violators.
- enforcement of city parking codes including street sweeping violations, extended parking, and abandoned vehicles.
Traffic Citations
The Alhambra Police Department does NOT accept traffic (moving) citation payments. The court address and court date will be marked at the bottom of the citation. By signing the ticket, you are not admitting guilt, but you are promising to appear in court on or before that date.
The court will usually send a courtesy notice to the address on the citation. If you do not receive a courtesy notice, you would have to go in person to the assigned court and locate their traffic window. The court clerk will provide you with the bail amount (how much to pay) and traffic school information. If you have attended traffic school within 18 months of the violation, you will not qualify for traffic school.
To pay, view, or check the status of a ticket or payment plan, please visit the City of Alhambra Parking Portal.
- Where do I pay a traffic ticket?
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The court address will be marked on the bottom of the citation. At the bottom of the traffic ticket you received, a court date will be marked. By signing the ticket, you are not admitting guilt, but you are promising to appear in court on or before that date.
The court will usually send a courtesy notice to the address on the citation. If you do not receive a courtesy notice, you would have to go in person to the assigned court and locate their traffic window. The court clerk will provide you with the bail amount (how much to pay) and traffic school information. If you have attended traffic school within 18 months of the violation, you will not qualify for traffic school.
- Can the Alhambra Police Department sign off my "fix-it" ticket?
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Correctable violations (violations for equipment, no license plate, or registration) can be inspected, verified, and signed off by the Alhambra Police Department to Alhambra residents or those citations written by the Alhambra Police Department only, and are handled by the Traffic Section. Violations for driving without a license or no insurance are handled by the appointed Court.
- Can I refuse to take tests if I am stopped for DUI?
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California law requires you to take a breath or blood test if you are arrested for a DUI. California's "implied consent" law says that if you are lawfully arrested by a police officer who has probable cause to believe that you have been driving under the influence, then you consent to take a chemical test of your blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining your blood alcohol content (BAC). The test must be taken at the time of your arrest, and the officer should give you the choice between a blood or breath test. If neither blood nor breath tests are available, then you have to take a urine test. Additionally, California's implied consent law says that you consent to take a preliminary breath test, even if you have not been arrested. This works like a field sobriety test. The officer will use the results to establish probable cause that you were driving under the influence. You do not have to take this preliminary test, and the officer should say so. Refusing it, however, probably won't work in your favor if the officer has some other reason to think you had been drinking. Based on that other reason, the officer could still arrest you, and then you will be required to take a blood or another breathing test. Refusing to take the tests will result in a suspension or revocation of your driver's license by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
- If I spot an abandoned vehicle on a public street, what should I do?
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Please contact the Alhambra Police Department at 626-570-5151. Please provide the License Plate number, a brief description, and the location of the vehicle.
- I don’t know who towed my vehicle, what do I do?
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Please contact the Alhambra Police Department Dispatch at 626-570-5151 providing them the license plate number of your vehicle. If you do not know your license plate number, provide dispatch the registered owner's name and address, and dispatch will be able to search the DMV database.