New Mexico Statutes Chapter 66. Motor Vehicles § 66-8-123. Conduct of arresting officer; notices by citation

A. Except as provided in Section 66-8-122 NMSA 1978, unless a penalty assessment or warning notice is given, whenever a person is arrested for any violation of the Motor Vehicle Code or other law relating to motor vehicles punishable as a misdemeanor, the arresting officer, using the uniform traffic citation in paper or electronic form, shall complete the information section and prepare a notice to appear in court, specifying the time and place to appear, have the arrested person sign the agreement to appear as specified, give a copy of the citation to the arrested person and release the person from custody.

B. Whenever a person is arrested for violation of a penalty assessment misdemeanor and elects to pay the penalty assessment, the arresting officer, using the uniform traffic citation in paper or electronic form, shall complete the information section and prepare the penalty assessment notice indicating the amount of the penalty assessment, have the arrested person sign the agreement to pay the amount prescribed, give a copy of the citation along with a business reply envelope addressed to the motor vehicle division in Santa Fe to the arrested person and release the person from custody. No officer shall accept custody or payment of any penalty assessment. If the arrested person declines to accept a penalty assessment notice, the officer shall issue a notice to appear.

C. The arresting officer may issue a warning notice, but shall fill in the information section of the uniform traffic citation in paper or electronic form and give a copy to the arrested person after requiring the person's signature on the warning notice as an acknowledgment of receipt. No warning notice issued under this section shall be used as evidence of conviction for purposes of suspension or revocation of license under Section 66-5-30 NMSA 1978.

D. In order to secure release, the arrested person must give the person's written promise to appear in court or to pay the penalty assessment prescribed or acknowledge receipt of a warning notice.

E. Any officer violating this section is guilty of a misconduct in office and is subject to removal.

F. A law enforcement officer who arrests a person without a warrant for a misdemeanor violation of the Motor Carrier Act, the Criminal Code, the Liquor Control Act or other New Mexico law may use the uniform traffic citation in paper or electronic form, issued pursuant to procedures outlined in Subsections B through F of Section 31-1-6 NMSA 1978, in lieu of taking the person to jail.

G. An electronic traffic citation, prescribed by Section 66-8-128 NMSA 1978, is an electronic version of the uniform traffic citation. For the purposes of this section, an electronic citation may be completed instead of a uniform traffic citation; provided, however, that where this section requires a copy of a citation to be given to an arrested person, a physical copy of the citation shall be provided whether a uniform traffic citation or an electronic form of the uniform traffic citation was used. An electronic form of the uniform traffic citation may be signed electronically.