Cop caught parking in handicap space
After a short article appeared on a crackdown by Howard County police of people illegally parking in handicap spaces, a reader sent in a picture of a cop allegedly violating the very law her agency was targeting.
The reader noted that the officer had parked her marked cruiser in a handicapped space at a Barnes & Noble and was seen drinking coffee.
The Columbia Flier and the Howard County Times published the picture and sought comment from a Howard County police spokeswoman, who said the officer had responded to the Ellicott City store after workers there chased out a suspected thief. The officer was writing a report.
But the spokeswoman noted that officers are allowed to park in such spaces only in an emergency. While the officer was on official business -- she can drink coffee and write a report -- this wasn't exactly an emergency and she did have other alternatives.
It would've been better had she parked anywhere else in the lot other than using a handicapped space.
Categories: Confronting crime, Howard County
Comments
Is this serious? Someone is taking the time to take this picture, and you guys are printing it? Wow.
Posted by: Kulesz | October 6, 2010 11:30 AM
This isn't even in Baltimore. Whats next, cops not wanting to wait for red lights, flick on their lights, cross the red, then turn them off? Oh noes. Oh wait, cops speeding...
Sarcasm aside, crack down on illegally parking in handicap spaces? Isn't that part of their jobs... enforcing laws? Oh wait, the sarcasm is still there. My bad. I'm only saying that because my captcha is sarcasm.
Posted by: Peter | October 6, 2010 11:44 AM
What's fair for the goose should be fair for the gander. If handicapped spaces are for cars w/handicapped placards or tags, plus the police to use during emergencies, then the police car shouldn't be there if the officer is drinking coffee. This offense may not be one of Baltimore's well-known 300 murders/year, but crime comes in all shapes and sizes, and quality-of-life crime, which illegal use of a handicap space falls under, is legitimate. If the officer is willing to park in the handicap space for her leisure use one time, she'll do it again and that's the slippery slope. The same rules should apply evenly to everyone, and enforcing simple non-controversial rules is a good place to start.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 6, 2010 11:51 AM
F man the police are above the law, just ask one.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 6, 2010 2:13 PM
If they are writing tickets for mere mortals parking in handicapped spots, then the absolute same should be applied for them. I'm GLAD this is getting attention. Police are charged with upholding the laws, they are not above them, no matter how small.
Posted by: Angel | October 6, 2010 6:15 PM
Get back to me when we can taser cops.
Posted by: taser54 | October 7, 2010 6:51 AM
If it was a real emergency, they should double park anywhere they can, and run. The fact that they went spot hunting and picked the closest one, which happened to be a handicapped space, shows that it wasn't an emergency. Since enforcing laws about handicapped parking is part of their job, this is at best hypocrisy.
Posted by: just silly | October 7, 2010 6:57 AM
Typical cops. No wonder they don't have respect anymore. They do crap like this, speed, change lanes illegally, run red lights, etc., all under the guise of an "emergency". That's why I smile when I hear about one getting some street justice :)
Posted by: Chris Haaansen | October 7, 2010 7:36 AM
Cops behaving badly make ALL cops look like they don't care about the laws they are entrusted to enforce. Good for you for posting it. Hopefully this cop gets reprimanded for it (or at least fined).
Posted by: SLEZE | October 7, 2010 9:06 AM
Cops Don't park in handicapped parking spaces, that's just absurd.
Posted by: Red | October 7, 2010 9:49 AM
What? I'm violating the law? AH YAM DE LAW!
Posted by: meknjinear | October 7, 2010 12:39 PM
Considering that all cops are mentally retarded, I don't see any problem with this. We should take pity on their deficiencies.
Posted by: Special Ed | October 7, 2010 1:00 PM
Hey Kulesz, are you really taking the time to comment on this story. Wow!
Posted by: Mr. Obvious | October 7, 2010 5:02 PM
How can the HCPD expect its citizens to take responsibility for their mistakes when they refuse to take responsibility for theirs! Bottomline, she parked their for convenience. If the store clerks had chased the alleged thief away, their was no emergency!
Posted by: B Ham | November 19, 2010 8:21 AM