Citizen tickets cop for illegal parking, cop fined.

[Bob Hubbard]

I didn't know we could give you guys tickets too.

While I understand the sentiment, and agree cops need to obey the law too, I think I'd be pretty pissed off if a cop who just wanted a quick bite or restroom break was delayed responding to an emergency call because he had to park his patrol car a block away.

Now if you excuse me, I have to go issue some tickets.
You guys accept Wendy's frosty certs?

 

[Archangel M]

If you think the local court is going to actually fine this officer who was working for the same municipality...

P.S.-Unless this has been adjudicated, the officer hasn't been "fined" yet. Hes just been ticketed.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Turns out, it's from 2008, and he was fined.

Downtown Police Officer Chad Stensgaard has just been found guilty of parking his patrol car illegally outside the Sansai Japanese Grill on NW 21st, while on duty back in March--in a case brought against him by a regular citizen.

Stensgaard was found guilty this afternoon of parking in a no parking spot while he went inside the restaurant to get take out food on the middle of his shift, and fined $35 by traffic court Judge Terry Hannon. The case against Stensgaard was brought by newly-qualified lawyer Eric Bryant, who happened to be eating in the restaurant when Officer Stensgaard came in to grab a bite to eat, earlier this year.

Bryant asked Stensgaard why he was parked illegally, but the cop told him he could do what he wanted, and went back to watching a basketball game on the restaurant's TV, Bryant alleged. So he decided to take the cop to court using an Oregon statute that lets citizens file citations with the District Attorney. And it turns out, Bryant was in the right.

http://www.ratemycop.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=162&func=view&catid=13&id=34984

 

[Archangel M]

Looks like he went on a parking crusade around the local court building too.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/35834714.html

PS-It looks like the officer did get fined for "no parking" but not for "illegally operating an emergency vehicle" which this lawyer tried for too. My .02 this guy has some sort of axe to grind...Im thinking he got ticketed for parking somewhere around a court building himself.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Follow up:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/attorney_gives_up_fight_over_p.html

Stensgaard first received a ticket from Bryant in March 2008 for parking his cruiser in a no-parking zone outside a Northwest 21st Avenue sushi restaurant to order take-out. Stensgaard argued that he needed his car nearby in case he was called out, and that most of the restaurants with parking lots sold foods he didn't like.

Oregon law allows emergency responders -- police, ambulance drivers and firefighters -- to park in no-parking zones when responding to emergencies. It doesn't mention food.

Traffic Court Judge Terry Hannon said Stensgaard violated the letter of the law and fined him $35.

Fast-forward to Nov. 19, and Bryant happened across Stensgaard's cruiser again. About 30 minutes later, Bryant saw Multnomah County Sheriff's Lt. David Rader pull up. Bryant wrote a ticket for Rader, too.

Rader entered a no-contest plea and wrote a check because the sheriff's office policy states that employees must pay for traffic or parking citations they receive on duty.

"Our policy is very strict," said Lt. Mary Lindstrand, a sheriff's spokeswoman. "You get a ticket, you pay the ticket."

Rader received a refund last month after Bryant dropped the case against him as well.

Portland Police Bureau policy also states that employees who get tickets for parking in zones marked off-limits to government vehicles "are responsible for paying those citations and may be subject to disciplinary action."

So the guys issued a few tickets to illegally parked cops, the department has rules covering what is and isn't ok (emergencies ok, convenience not), but he's dropped 2 later fights on the matter.


Still, interesting to know that it's possible and will sometimes hold up.

Also of more interest is the mentioning of a specific statute. Oregon Revised Statute 153.058
which I haven't read yet.

News story on these particulars, with more rules and laws cited.
http://www.katu.com/news/local/35834714.html

Of import,

Sgt. Brian Schmautz of the Portland Police Bureau says a long-standing informal agreement police have with the city allows officers to park wherever needed while on duty. The agreement is expected to be put in writing.

Also this "The PPB's Manual of Policy and Procedure has several provisions that apply to police parking during non-emergency situations:" which includes a public link to the PD's policies and prodedures a move which surprised me as this is the first I'm seeing these made public like this.

 

[Archangel M]

From 2009:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/attorney_gives_up_fight_over_p.html

An attorney who sparked a widespread debate about whether police officers who aren't responding to emergencies need to follow parking laws has dropped his latest fight. Eric Bryant, who wrote three citizen-initiated citations last year, asked a judge to dismiss the latest ticket against Portland police Officer Chadd Stensgaard for parking next to Central Precinct in a space marked "Government Vehicles Prohibited."

Bryant said he has moved to southern Oregon because he tentatively has been offered a job as a deputy prosecutor.

Hmmmmm....

 

[Archangel M]

I believe it's possible in Oregon based on statute..I don't think that that ability is very common elsewhere. I know some states exempt emergency vehicles for parking rules out of hand, while others limit it to responding to calls alone.

How would you like your "nasty neighbors" to be able to cite you for every parking violation they catch you doing? This guy may have opened a pandoras box there.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I saw that. Same reaction here.


Did some digging on similar cases:
Chicago cops got ticketed http://theexpiredmeter.com/2009/05/oops-police-vehicles-ticketed-en-masse/
Looks like a retaliation between departments.

Montreal cop cars ticketed and towed
http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-203033.html

Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter confessed he received a parking ticket from Sanford police Wednesday morning.
http://www.sanfordherald.com/view/f...-Sheriff’s-car-ticketed-during-groundbreaking


I find these to be funny though, and had to dig a bit. Cop cars usually aren't ticketed, except in extreme cases, most of the time.
Also, If I ran a food place and a cop pulled up to grab a quick pick up, drink or 'break', I'd be fine with it.

 

[Archangel M]

I'd draw the line at using handicap spaces...

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I believe it's possible in Oregon based on statute..I don't think that that ability is very common elsewhere. I know some states exempt emergency vehicles for parking rules out of hand, while others limit it to responding to calls alone.

How would you like your "nasty neighbors" to be able to cite you for every parking violation they catch you doing? This guy may have opened a pandoras box there.

Well....
Rochester Police Ticket Supporters Of Woman Arrested for Recording Cops

http://www.policeone.com/social-med...over-arrest-of-woman-who-filmed-traffic-stop/

charges against Emily Good have been dropped and that police will investigate the officers who handed out the parking tickets for selective enforcement.

Lest anyone get the idea this is a bash, policeone.com is a pro-cop site.

I think everyone needs to nitpick less.

As to my neighbors....yeah, they are nasty. I'm getting a contact high from the guy across the street.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I'd draw the line at using handicap spaces...

Would depend on how many were open. If it was a quick run in , grab n go, I don't see a problem, though a 'letter of the law' thing would, y'know?
There's also the question on if I as a civilian did it, would I get a ticket, or the benefit of doubt that I was really only there a couple minutes grabbing some take out?
Were there other spots open, how crowded was it, etc. All things I didn't notice, though I did see some references to the parking sucks in general.
Again, to me I get the point, but it seems like knitpicking when both parties could focus on more important things.

The handicap stuff...that's a whole Study argument though, LOL. Which I may open up, after I finish locking things down in the back. Not today though.

 

[Archangel M]

Parking around Court buildings has always stumped me. We are required to go there ALL the time but there are no "police vehicle only" spots (tons of Judge and attorney ones though). We can park in metered spots w/o paying (unmarked cars get a plackard to toss on the dash), but you have to find one first.

 

[Archangel M]

The thing that gets me with the "well I would get a ticket for..." meme (at least where I work) is the fact that we (here) give PLENTY of people a pass PLENTY of times. If someone calls in a complaint..sure we are going to issue a ticket..but even then I have sat next to a car in a "no parking" spot and blared my air horn till someone came out of a house. They were told to "move it or else". You would not believe how many people would give me lip for NOT GIVING THEM A TICKET rather than simply say "sorry officer I will move it".

The "well I would get a ticket for" thing is a bogus debate point rather than a true statement sometimes IMO.

 

[OKenpo942]

This is just stupid. The guy would probably sue the department and the officer if he was late responding to a call at his house because he was parked in an area that took him longer to get to his patrol car. Some people are just scumbags out to make waves wherever necessary. What a loser!

James