People with overdue traffic tickets and other ordinance violation citations in DeKalb County can pay up in September without fear of arrest, but a crackdown is coming in October, officials said Thursday.

The county has accumulated 40,000 arrest warrants for unpaid or unanswered citations since January 2000, Chief Recorders Court Judge R. Joy Walker said. Beginning Oct. 1, the court will use a special appropriation from the county commission — $50,000 in the first month — to pay off-duty police officers to track down the offenders.

In September, the court will accept overdue payments from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. A Saturday session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 27. People who are unsure if they owe money may call 404-508-0368.