Circuit Court's Collection Agency

Why is it that three - THREE - times yesterday I heard references to the collection agency being used by the McHenry County Circuit Court Clerk to collect unpaid fines and court costs?
THREE (3) TIMES in one day.

The second time I began to wonder who had an inside track on this deal? Or if anyone did? Why would little, ol' McHenry County pick a Washington (State) collection agency to handle its collections, when there are good, local collection agencies right here in northern Illinois?

There seems to be a dearth of information available at the courthouse about this firm for the person with a delinquent account who attempts to make a payment in person, whether in full or partial. Why doesn't that office have a live person at a desk in the courthouse (or across the street) or a flyer or business card with a tollfree number to give to the delinquent? Why won't the clerks at the courthouse accept a partial payment, give the delinquent a conditional receipt with a sheet explaining the terms under which the payment is being accepted locally, and mail the payments overnight to the collection agency (at its expense, of course)?

It's called Customer Service. Duhhhh.....

And here's a bigger problem? Just how far behind is that collection agency? They've had the account for how long now, three months? six months? By now they should have been in contact with every one of the delinquent accounts. I'm sure they must have heard of First Class Mail - even in the State of Washington.

I know of one account for which No Notice of amount owing was received until about six cops showed up at the door with an arrest warrant, house surrounded, guns drawn - for a lousy couple of hundred dollars owed. In this case, a phone call or one letter would have reminded the person that the amount was still unpaid.

Where did the wires get crossed at the courthouse that a collection agency is supposed to be collecting unpaid fines AND armed officers in tactical gear are sent out to snatch the delinquent? Just how much does it cost us for six officers and vehicles to spend 30 minutes doing that? More than the unpaid amount due!!!

Watch for more information on this "effective" use of police manpower early next week!