Good morning,
As a NYC police officer I just want to express my concerns over your site. If my car gets a summons or is towed, how long do you think I will remain at my post, or if I am in an RMP don't you think I will take it to the pound to retrieve my private vehicle. My point is the community is going to lose one possible two officers per shift. Departments in other cities provide their officers with parking at precincts and courthouses. I understand that NYC is very compact, but do you really believe we are going to commute by bus or train.
Let me save you some time. I drive a 2005 mazda tribute, I am telling you in advance I will park anywhere I can. I will put a photo underneath my wiper so you don't have to bother taking a photo.
Was everyone in the village worried last night about where the cops were parked while we were protecting you as two aux. officers lay dead.
If I have to move my car or get a summons, you know we are going to start unloading on civilian cars, what I call a combination platter, which is no less than five tickets per car.
I am finished, just a word of dvice to the concerned citizens. Please park legally.

Joe

Maybe if this city's civil servents weren't treated like second class citizens, and were paid more than a pathetic paltry salary, they would be able to afford a parking garage. Find something better to do with your time people! Do something constructive..

As a frequent poster to this site, I have to say I agree with several points made above. I think "The Campaign" section of this site says a lot. The problem with salary and parking privileges needs to be dealt with, and if that means Mayor Mike and Co. need to get serious about how much they pay, then they better get with it.

Unfortunately, the low salaries and the parking abuse hurts everyone involved.

#1 -- Your selfish attitude smears the reputation of decent officers who don't believe that their badges entitle them to break the law. What else do you get to take for yourself illegally, using the deaths of other officers to justify it?

I second what efficient streets has to say. No one has a problem with emergency responders parking wherever they need to, Joe. And the official vehicles that NYPD use to respond to emergencies should be located as close to possible to where the responders work, so they don't have to waste precious minutes in an emergency getting to those vehicles. And public employees are significantly underpaid compared to their private sector counterparts, and often don't get the respect they deserve from their management and members of the public.

But there is a big distinction to be drawn between vehicles used for official business and personal vehicles. Especially when it comes to personal vehicles that aren't even being used for communting, just being parked long term or perhaps even abandonded illegally (as some of the cars posted on this site are), what's the justification for allowing that? Are public employees "doing something constructive" when they respond to the problem of low wages and disrespect by parking on sidewalks, in crosswalks, bus stops, in front of fire hydrants? Or are they "doing something destructive" by alientating members of the public that might otherwise sympathize with them?

I wish this website much luck and success. FOr far too many administrations, civil servants have been abusing their privileges in this city. YOU ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW.

Let us help put a stop to this widespread abuse.

Best of Luck.

To the officers that commented and for the future officers that think there high and mighty. Your not. You think because you have a plaque and your underpaid which is true you could do whatever you want. First as for your pay I agree with you being underpaid. For example I work behind a desk and get paid 10g more a year then your top salary.. I work on Jay Street Downtown Brooklyn. In front of the MTA Building NYPD put jersey barriers 5ft from the curb so nobody could park there. There are signs that say no standing anytime , no permit zone, and 2 bus stops. POLICE OFFICERS triple park there block the bus stops along with causing the most traffic ever. All of the POLICE OFFICERS should be ashamed of themselfs. Also is it ok for you to block fire hydrants. Let me tell something. IF I GET HURT BY A CAR TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET OR IF THE FDNY CAN'T PUT THE FIRE OUT TO GET US OUT OF THE BUILDING. I WILL SUE EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU SEPARATLY AND THE CITY. THEN MOVE TO A LOCATION WHERE THE COPS ARE JUST NORMAL PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE THAT THINK THERE ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

P.S. Why are these plaques given out if there used for private cars? Why don't they just get a metrocard.

From Post #1:

"but do you really believe we are going to commute by bus or train."

Yes. Why on earth not?

"but do you really believe we are going to commute by bus or train."

Umm - millions of people in this city do that - why can't you? It's your decision to live in Suffolk county and work in the City, so either jump on the LIRR or pay the parking rates.

I can only hope that we adopt a London-style congestion plan to deal here in the City.

I can see this whole uncivilservants concept getting old really fast.

@9: Apparently there is, in fact, a clause in the NYPD contract stating that officers *on patrol duty* will be given parking, as that is shift work. LIRR at midnight is not really an efficient means of transportation, while living in Suffolk is, unfortunately, a reasonable response to the low pay that we all acknowledge. However, none of this means that officers should be *taking* parking illegally. That's just like saying their salaries are too low, so they should help themselves from local banks. (Admittedly a tactic of police officers in certain countries, but I think we still are capable of maintaining a higher level of public order than that!)

You folks need to get a life. I mean really. There are much more important issues in this city than how civil servants park.In response to one of the above posts, these placards are issued to police officers for use in their personal vehicles. What else would they be issued for?Are you people jealous? The city is required to provide ample parking for its employees. There are no parking lots, so street parking is the only option. Also due to the last minute everchanging schedules police officers work, public transportation is really not an option for most.By the way, most police officers who live on Long island cant afford to live in the city, who's residents they are sworn to protect, sometimes with their lives.

I thought if you are a NYPD officer your not allowed to live in Long Island? Hummm Another law broken by our police officers

oiseau,

I agree with some of your sentiments, but name-calling does not help matters.

#15 - You are incorrect. Cops are allowed to live outside the city.

I agree with 16--this is not about bashing cops but bringing the problem to light and making sure that if the city promises cops or other civil servants parking, they do it by giving them parking, not by giving them a wink and a nod when the break the law.

The retired bureaucrats who get free passes to park in the park when they retire are a different matter--why on earth do that? Why not just give them a bigger pension or a gold watch? What's the deal?

But I will say that it undermines sympathy with the NYPD for citizens to see NYPD breaking laws. It makes citizens wonder what other laws are being broken. It diminishes trust.

City servants are whining way too much here.

Everything is relative. Who do you think you trying to get sympathy from, people in the private sector? Your pay is low? Perhaps, but if only pay were everything. What about those juicy pensions? Not many of those private sector saps you are whining to get much of those. Job security? Sorry, haven't heard too much about layoffs for city workers because revenue estimates were off. Most people have to live and adjust to the uncertainty that their income can be gone any day for any reason.

But all of the above can be simplified into a simplier metric and that's how people vote with their feet. If the public sector was truely such a raw deal compared to the private sector, then why is job retention for public workers factors of times higher (pick your study) than for the private? Public sector workers stick around relatively longer, and the simpliest explanation is that they think their deals (as a whole) are pretty good.

I'm being a little harsh here and do not for a minute forget that most private sector workers don't also run into burning buildings are apprehend murderers. But I would ask public workers to consider that maybe some of your fellow citizens wouldn't mind that risk in exchange for some of what you have. Boy, it would be nice to know, for instance, that your job wouldn't be shipped off to china next year. I, for one, would take a pay cut for that deal.

John, NYC

Not for nothing but all of this down grading the cops need to be put on hold. There is no need to call a police officer a pig, also a donut eater. It doesn't make sense. Both of those terms go way back to when all of the Irish ran the police departments. Because that's what they did, they ate donuts and got fat and look like a bunch of pigs. The real issue here is the police officer using the permits the wrong way. There are areas were the permits could be used but if the police office parks in a no permit zone there car should be ticketed and towed. But here another funny thing about these comments the people that are upset about this must be the ones that own these vehicles. One question Why should I have to pay $12.00 a day to park when you as a city worker park wherever you want. Fair system don't think so.

Sorry I didn't get to some of those flame posts earlier.

We will actively erase flaming and/or offensive posts.

-Admin

Yeah the insults are just becoming a way for the people who are critical of this site to avoid responding to the fact that there is tons of illegal parking that has absolutely nothing to do with official job duties. There's a cop who apparently works (or once worked) in Brooklyn who has left his car sitting in the middle of Central park without moving it for weeks, perhaps months:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/map?plate=acg6061&state=NY

Is there anybody out there who wants to apologize for him?

To the Admin. Maybe there should be a forum set up for all of these comments and disputes to take place. It is interesting see what permit holders are saying and also what the regular cilivan is saying. This seems to be a very hot topic that effects everybody. Good Luck with this site and I hope you meet your goals.

Good afternoon,

I set post no. 1 about 9:30 a.m. Playing devils advocate I am happy to see the responses that were put forth. The emotional content should be put to use around the table, and we can try to find a real solution to this topic.

Joe

Joe,
Agreed. In my wild dreams, I really want to see if there is a way to get the community members that are so frustrated with illegal parking to publicly support new collective bargaining agreements. I really don't think you can address the permit abuse without addressing salaries (though logically those should be exclusive of each other). At the same time, no one should be above the law, and Chief Scagnelli should be enforcing permit abuse on every vehicle that is abusing a permit, PD or otherwise.

In my opinion, we are two groups fighting for the same public space (fighting over crumbs kicked off the plate of the city budget, really), and we should both be focusing on the Mayor and the PD Commish. With an extraordinary budget surplus, why aren't PD salary increases on the table?

I think one good solution (to start) would be for permit holders to not park in front of fire hydrants and in bus stops.

I work for the city. I have a city car assigned to me and only me, with official plates and permit and everything, because I'm on call 24-hours-a-day and sometimes have to get up in the middle of the night to run to different places on agency business. I have sympathy for cops who work weird hours and who have to commute to neighborhoods nobody else commutes to.

But it still enrages me to see someone's personal car parked in front of a fire hydrant. Permit or no permit, that's creating a danger to the public. Don't do it.

I think one good solution (to start) would be for permit holders to not park in front of fire hydrants and in bus stops.

I work for the city. I have a city car assigned to me and only me, with official plates and permit and everything, because I'm on call 24-hours-a-day and sometimes have to get up in the middle of the night to run to different places on agency business. I have sympathy for cops who work weird hours and who have to commute to neighborhoods nobody else commutes to.

But it still enrages me to see someone's personal car parked in front of a fire hydrant. Permit or no permit, that's creating a danger to the public. Don't do it.

Oiseau,
Please stop putting threatening posts up. Agreed that there should be equal treatment under law, but I don't want to keep erasing inflammatory comments.

Just an amusing comment to Joe the anonymous poster. All internet traffic and posts are traceable back to you. An outright threat like yours is sure to come back at you. No doubt the guy who set up this site can easily forward on your IP address to NYPD, so my guess is you won't have to worry about commuting in all that much longer.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA, you really think that PD will fire someone for that?

And we're not too interested in tracking IP addresses for most comments on an anonymous posting website (though really, people, stop with the posts that threaten property damage or other--those will get erased immediately).

People can we please try to act like adults. I understand that the ability to post on an anonymous Internet site tends to let people act disrespectful, but please know that nobody can convince anybody of anything if they are threatening, insulting, or generally harassing that person.

I am telling it to everyone involved.

This forum is so one-sided. Keep erasing all my pro police posts.

Provide the police parking so they can do their job. Is not the police officers fault where he is told to park. HE comes to work to do his job. Send your comments to the mayor and his surplus of money.

I'm sorry, Anonymous, #33, I'm only trying to erase posts with name-calling and aggressive attacks (comments like "pigs," etc). I'm sorry if I took something off that you felt was not warranted for deletion.

It is great to see that the public would rather fight us(The Protectors)than help us get a raise or fight crime. We are forced to do what we have to do. We like community policing but the higher ups make you think different. When will you understand. I guess if you keep posting our vehicles on this site like we are wrong doers, who will be there to protect us from you!!!

Well it seems like your sites mention in the NY POST got you some attention. I wonder if Steve (post #20), who apparently rides his bike in Central Park and has upwards of 50 posts, has ever made an official complaint to the NYPD of the parking in the area of the Central Park Precinct or Transit District 1? Posting his frustrations on this website will not get the same results as a true complaint. I would assure him that many in the NYPD are in his corner and disdain the adverse criticism that parking next to hydrants and in crosswalks bring against their command.

It seems all of the police officers are on this site checking to see if there car is here. Are you a constant law breaker? Are you scared? If nothing is going to happen or be carried out what are you worried about? I guess you are all hearing about this site and the campaign during your roll call. Are there treats of suspension if caught. Guess what there are alot of permits out there but why is it most of the police officers follow the rules and some of you don't. That badge means nothing if you are abusing your premit rights. Think about it in a commom sense matter. I'm sure you could all do that because you need a degree to be a cop. Everybody that been taking these pic. Keep up the good work and lets bust every city worker out there and have ther permits pulled for good. Has anybody email this site to our fearless leader bloomberg. I would love to see his comment. LMAO

I don't understand. I agree cops need to be paid more. I know it is not an easy job and I am thankful you are out there risking your life for me on the streets.

But as people who are sworn to uphold the law, and I being a taxpayer who pays your salary, you need to accept that you do not have the right to park all over and especially - especially - on the sidewalks. I accept the terms of my job when I took it. I can't drive my car and park anywhere in my lousy accounting job. No perks, but I took the job and I knew I either have to take mass transit or I have to pay to park when I drive in.

I mean - if you work for the NYPD - imagine this wherever you may live whether it be Manhattan or cul de sac in Long Island - what if I came and parked on the grass or sidewalk outside your house? Wouldn't you be upset?

Here's to hoping this site brings about some change: the end of free parking and abuses by ALL those who do it and maybe some more respect and $$$ for our finest who risk their lives daily.

Thanks, I hope the discourse remains civil on this Uncivil Servants site.

Hey #37,

I have met at least three different NYPD employees in the Central Park parking lot and told them exactly what I was doing, and asked them to pass the message that there is parking abuse going on to whoever is responsible for parking enforcement at the Central Park Precinct. Scout's honor. Here's a video clip in which you can hear one of the NYPD employees coming over to ask me what I am doing with my camera:

In any event, there is supposed to be enforcement in this lot without me telling anyone to do anything.

No, it's just like I said. I told them that I don't like having to deal with so many cars when I'm in Central Park. I told them there are a number of people parking here in the park long-term who don't have valid permits or any permit at all. I told them I suspected that ordinary residents who live near 86th Street were parking their cars here because there was zero enforcement. I asked them to tell the Central park Precinct. It was perfectly cordial.

#39- Wonderful comment. I hope that one of the side effects that comes out of this campaign is a better deal for cops from the City. If NYPD (and other agencies) employees are really paying attention, they will not only clean up their act, but will also use this issue to their advantage in contract negotiations. Could be a win for all of us.

These permits are issued for use in private vehicles. Get over it already.Move on. There are far more serious problems in NYC that warrant this much attention. If you folks put this much effort into working WITH your local precinct,instead of complaining about such a non-issue to stem the crime in your neighborhoods,then quality of life would improve greatly.

The parking situation is not going to change. Complain all you want. Take all the pictures/videos you want. Its not going to change. That, folks is reality. This website is not going to change a thing, other than be a vehicle for all the liberal crybabys to spew their anti police rhetoric.At the end of the day, cops are not going to write/tow cops private vehicles.That is reality, so deal with it or move.
Hey, just a thought. Maybe you people can convince the city to provide parking lots for its employees, whether it be by knocking down some neighboring buildings or converting nearby playgrounds/parks into lots.

#46, I already got the cop from Brooklyn who stored his car in for weeks in the middle of Central Park to move it. And he wasn't the only one who moved, there were about half the cars there this morning than there usually are. Here's the picture:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/708

So instead of your pipe dream, in which the parks are paved over for NYPD parking lots, what has actually happened is this site has gotten a bunch of NYPD out of the park in one day. Now that's what I call "reality." You deal with it or get a new job.

Steve, I don't condone plaques being abused either, but sometimes officers are forced to take their personal cars to other commands to work in details because there are not enough working police cars available. As a matter of fact, there are not enough police vehicles available in most commands for patrol alone. That means that sometimes you will see a plaque from Queens in Manhattan, Bronx in Manhattan, Brooklyn in Queens, etc. I am not saying it's the case with all the vehicles you have photographed, but it is the case with some. My point is not all officers are abusing the plaques they are just working in a different command. Maybe if you and your wealthy friends donate some money to buy more police cars, then the police can leave their personal vehicles at their command when working at another command.

I take your point #48, though I'm not wealthy. The guy from Brooklyn had the car there pretty much continuously in the same spot for 4 months, without it moving for weeks at a stretch. I hope I have made clear in my comments that I understand the need for NYPD parking in this spot. I don't expect this lot to go away. I just can't stand the gross, obvious abuses.

The easy solution to all this is to change the law so that cops no longer make arrests... arrests lead to extended tours as they process the arrest, and shift changes as they must appear in court the next day... what was 15 hrs between appearances may be cut down to 5 or 6 hrs... you can't commute both ways and get a healthy rest on that kind of turn around.

so, push the city government to to prohibit officers from making any and all arrests... i'd gladly save on tolls and gas if i knew day in and day out i'd have 15hrs between appearances, not possibly the 5 or 6 hrs i frequently get for doing my job

oh and no recalls for 9-11, blackouts, and other emergencies... i only come in when normally posted hrs...

the cash i'd lose in o/t i'd more then save in commuting costs... and i'd be much safer not making those arrests, or dealing with terrorists and such

Steve, Could it possibly be that this particular officer was hospitalized for 4 months in the hospital recovering from a 'Line of Duty' Incident and instead of letting his vehicle get towed it was parked by the command? Perhaps, he/she has a broken arm or leg and can't drive his vehicle? And because this happened on the job it is perfectly fine for the car to have a plaque. I know this to have happened several times.

Other scenarios: A detective went out of state for a few months to solve a case. An officer was sent out of town for special counter terrorism training. Perhaps, (sorry, I don't want to seem morbid) the two APO's that were murdered, the other night, still have their vehicles parked somewhere with plaques because their families cannot bear to moved them. God forbid you would snap a picture of their "abandoned" vehicles and post it on the web.

You can't assume things when you don't know the facts. There are many reasons it may appear to the public that someone is parked in the same spot for months. Maybe the officer is not really parked there for months, are you watching the vehicle 24/7? The public doesn't know all the facts.

"When you ASSuME you make an ASS out of you not ME."

To my Brothers in Blue,
Parking privledges are NOT contractually quaranteed. Parking permits do not give us the right to obstruct hydrants, park in crosswalks, bus stops, etc. Parking permits give us the right to park in spots designated by the commanding officer of the facility you are parking at within the self-enforcement zone. If there aren't any designated spots left when you arrive for work than you should find a legal spot. Parking permits do not give us the right to drive with expired registration and inspection stickers either.
You should survey your legitimate parking spots and see how many guys are taking up a spot for storage or how many bogus placards are in use.
It's a real stretch to talk about an MOS with a LOD who left his car for four months-let's be real now. I haven't heard of too many Detectives out of town for months on a case leaving their cars at their commands either. Are you trying to say that if an MOS got activated in the military, you would let him store his car at the command while you were searching for a legit spot. I doubt it. Maybe when the MOS goes on MELD the Job should let him park at 1PP.
The bottom line is that "abusive" parking is being reported to the Department and being entertained. Photographic evidence will make it harder for you to avoid command discipline for adverse criticism. Maybe a W/A- maybe not. Why take the chance.

#51, you have introduced me to a world of detail that I never knew existed. I'm ready to consider it. But if you had taken the trouble to read the posts and look at the pictures, you would know that the possibilities you are describing are not likely. Here they are:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/map?plate=acg6061&state=NY

It's not a "stretch" post #52. Happen one officer left his car for almost a year. Parazlyzed in LOD accident. He couldn't drive it. Why not let an officer activated to the military leave his car? He's serving our city and our country!!!

Anyway my point was that not everything is as it seems and therefore pictures of officers personal vehicles should not be posted on the web.

If you have a problem go make a complaint at the command and maybe you will find out why that vehicle is there, not put someone's personal car, plate, info on the web for criminals with a grudge to see. That's dangerous. Anyone with $10 or a friend at DMV can find out where a person lives by his plates!!!

Steve, I read the posts and looked at the pictures. I'm not saying that it is the case with the pictures posted here, I was just giving you a few scenarios that could possibly happen.

MY point is that you really don't know why a vehicle is parked where it is or not.

The plaques should absolutely NOT be abused. I agree a 100%, but I'm just trying to let you/the public know that some might have a legitimate reason and their private info should not be posted on the web.

If you want something to get done about it why not send the pictures and complaints to the commanding officer where it can be determined if there is cause for dicipline? not post them on the web where a criminals see and can put an officer in danger.

Two wrongs don't make a right! Anyway your dedication is to be admired. I know you just want to right a wrong, but this is not the way. Take all this photos and give them to the CO do not post them on the web.

American men and women are dying in a global war on terror and you people are worried over complete and utter nonsense. You really have to prioritize things in your shallow little lives and got over the fact that police enforce traffic regulations in the areas surrounding their precincts. This is how things are and should be. We work long and uppredictable hours and we sometimes drive to work. Some of live outside of NYC. Mass transit is not ideal for many of us. Also, we deal with bad people who want to hurt us,so bicycling or rollerblading to work aint gonna cut it.

Just so you know, i love this website and i do check it hoping that one of you folks are out there snapping photos of my "illegally park car". Just so you know i have a better understanding of the law than you probably and i am confident that i wont break it.
And what exactly do you folks do for a living? I am sure this website thing is just a hobby....right.

ok, bye

I am confused ... exactly what does the "War on Terror" have to do w/ illegal parking?

And if you guys hate your jobs so much (I see a lot of complaining about how unappreciated you think you are and how much you you are underpaid), perhaps you should consider a career change. Life is too short to spend your time working at a job you don't like.

this is critical mass' revenge on the city and the police dept for the arrest of their riders. guy that runs this site is one of their leaders... just a little truth for the masses.

personally i have no problem with critical mass... i have never dealt with them while working, and i do admire their desire to lessen traffic congestion in nyc and to improve the air quality.

however, that does not give the riders the right to disregard the Vehicle and Traffic Laws of NYS. Bicyclists have to obey the same traffic laws as motorists. I have personally observed their "procession" proceed thru red lights so as to keep the pack together. I also observe nearly every bicyclist in this city disobey the same lights.

Why? What gives you any more right to disobey the law when riding your bicycles then civil servants parking their vehicles?

You complain that double parked vehicles are a danger... I don't disagree, but are they more of a danger then the bicyclists that disobey lights and frequently ignore the bike lanes themselves?

let he who is without sin cast the first stone... i'm seeing lots of stones being thrown here... but are the throwers truly without their own faults?

as for the posting of law enforcement officers personal vehicles and plates: post away until you get a cop seriously injured or killed... you will, sooner or latter, inadvertently post the pic of an officer's car that some mope has a hit out on... we are officers 24/7... and a target just as much off duty as on duty

Chief Bratton's successful model of "Broken Windows" crime fighting was predicated on never overlooking any small violations and crimes. If the windows were broken, that was likely indicative of a larger problem endemic in a neighborhood.

Compstat is a direct result of an effort to stop even the smallest quality of life infractions, as well as cataloging the most heinous crimes by area to combat them. I know some of the officers responding to this site think that parking violations are not a big deal, but the entire model of the contemporary NYPD is based on not letting little things like this slide.

The public has a right to seek redress for these grievances, which is exactly what this website is meant to facilitate. Likewise, this measure comes only after years (decades for some) of complaints about the problem to the precincts, to borough commands, to Traffic Task Forces, to the Commish, the Mayor, and recently to 311 without any long-term positive results. On the occasion where a single vehicle owner is disciplined (regardless of the agency), another vehicle shows up in its place. When we've spoken to IAB, they assert that this issue has never been dealt with in a comprehensive manner like this, which leads me to assume that the localized complaints never made it past the precinct level.

We need the Mayor to come up with a real solution to the problems, which should start with a new and fair contract, more off street parking facilities, parking cash-out (where the value of your permit is monetized to market-rate parking values--think $200-500 a month--which you can take instead of the permit), and a host of other creative remedies.

Hey #55, you sound very reasonable. But you also have to consider the what it can be like for an ordinary citizen to interface with the NYPD. Read my sotry in this post, and put yourself in my shoes for a moment:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/583

Think also about some of the anonymous commentary on this site, apparently made by law enforcement personnel, that contain blatant or thinly-veiled threats of retaliation against people who post here with physical violence, deliberate refusal to provide assistance in the event of an emergency, etc. If the civilians who are posting here are behaving un-civilly, we certainly are receiving the same back in spades.

Maybe there is a solution. Perhaps the policy should be that when a post is uploaded to the site, it is not publicly available for some period of hours and it is forwarded by T.A. to an email address for an ombudsman on duty with the precinct in which the alleged placard abuse has occurred. That ombusdman has some period of hours to respond before the post goes public. If there is a response from the ombudsman, T.A. can have the discretion to upload the post in an edited format that does not disclose identifying details and explains the NYPD response.

I know, tons of work and effort that would beter be spent on catching bad guys. But if a process like that could be set up, perhaps expectations and practices would change quickly and it would not be an ongoing time drain.

Probably unworkable.

Heh, would love to see the city offer cash to those that opt out of parking... not gonna happen.

more likely the city will attempt to charge for parking.

as stated previously, the problem for those in law enforcement is that it is not a 9-5 job with weekends off... it is a 9 hr day which may become 16 and a shift change for the next appearance because someone beat up their spouse, or sold drugs, or robbed some 101 year old woman.

when i worked a 9-5 i never drove to work... i knew when my day was gonna start and when it was going to end... not knowing those with any certainty as a police officer makes using mass transit a gamble at best.

as for forwarding pics to a precinct via email, not gonna happen... there is no internet connection in most commands, and those that have use dial-up. I kid you not... this is the state of your police dept. it is a good idea and a thoughtful compromise and would probably work in most jurisdictions... not in nyc tho.

maybe you now have an insight into the police department that you didn't have before... fighting crime in 2007 with technology from 1987.

and you wonder why there is a problem with police parking... the city is about 20 years behind in solving that problem too.

Interesting so now we are taking pictures of cops cars in the self enforcment zone... Guess what? That means we can park in that area where ever we can find parking. We park at hydrants but not blocking it completely (we leave some room for the FDNY) we combat park on the side walks to make more room for our brothers and sisters on the job. In my command which is located in a residential block the locals park in NO PARKING EXCEPT POLICE spots. They do not get ticketed because we all have to co exist. Maybe we should start HEY!!! maybe i'll post those pictures here. police arent the only ones that abuse parking spots, did any one put another quarter in the meter after the hour was up? thats illegal too. as for the sympathetic who suggest we get paid more so we can afford to park our cars in parking lots.... ahh no, Pay us more because we deserve more!!!! read the papers and read this site... This is a thankless job.....
till we meet again

Bklyn cop, I think you are making up that local residents park in "No parking except police" spots near your precinct. But if you're not, you should be ticketing them, because they are taking up spaces that should be there fore vehicles that cops need to respond to emergencies. If you let locals park in them you're not doing your job and you are interfering with police work.

What I've noticed from a lot of the comments from law enforcement personnel on this site is that they believe that every time they refrain from enforcing the law, they have gained some kind of moral capital that they can spend by breaking the law in some completely different context. That makes no sense to me. If you cut someone else a break, it doesn't make me feel better when you park on the sidewalk in front of my house. If you cut ME a break in order to get me to accept your parking on the sidewalk in front of my house, that's corrupt. Either way, there's no moral capital that cops earn when they use their discretion not to enforce the law. For every violation or crime you act on, there's hundreds you don't--its inevitable, its part of the job. It doesn't give you moral capital to "spend" by breaking the law.

The "illegal" spot taken by an officer's vehicle is leaving you a legal spot. If a cop is parked in a "no parking" spot, doesn't that mean a legal spot is now open for your car? Or someone elses?

You aren't upset that cops and other agencies are taking spots from you, you are upset they are parking where you can't.

BTW, the main problem is the city's inability to post proper signs. Cop's are told by their commands that the "no parking" signs in their self enforcement zones is police parking, yet the signs don't indicate it as such.

Want an even better one? Anyone else besides me remember the old lincoln hospital location in the south bronx, just off brucker blvd? When was that torn down? 15 years ago maybe? more? Yet the street adjacent to the lot of land still has (or had as of 2005 when i last checked) ambulance and doctor's only no standing signs posted.

You are targeting law enforcement officers personal vehicles when the problem is a city government that is 20 years behind in its work.

I think there would be less apprehension if the vehicle plates were blurred out before posting. The parking permits can have their numbers posted as they will only identify the assigned user of the permit to the agency involved. The plate is a private persons property (and can be used improperly to possibly ID an officer and bring them to harm). The permit is city property, and can be used by the city to ID and discipline the offender in question.

Maybe this is compromise that can work.

I don't agree with everything on this site, but I respect your right to do so.