Clifton resident patrols to protect handicapped parking spaces

CLIFTON — Advocates for the disabled population are setting their sights on drivers who illegally park in handicapped spaces.

A City Council committee plans to form enforcement groups that would seek out violators and file complaints that could result in fines of $250. And the drivers targeted may not realize they've been caught until they are served with a complaint.

"Most of us have had the problem that when we call the police ... one of two things often happen: Either the person unlawfully parked leaves before the police get there, or the police show up but don’t do anything other than give the driver a warning," said Saul Jaffe, chairman of the Committee for Individuals with Disabilities. 

To address that, enforcers would take a picture of the offending vehicle and head over to City Hall to file a complaint, which is their right. The complaint would then be served. The intent, Jaffe said, is not to be sneaky, but to change behavior, 

Too often, Clifton officials say, enforcement of handicapped parking takes a back seat to the numerous motor vehicle accidents, hundreds of burglaries and other serious crimes that take place throughout the year.  

That's why they are proposing to form a group to get the drivers hauled before a municipal judge, city Councilwoman Lauren Murphy said last week.

First offenders are likely to receive a $250 fine. The penalties escalate with successive violations and may include up to 90 days of community service.

Jaffe said that when the committee previously discussed handicapped parking issues, they brainstormed about talking to drivers or leaving notes on cars. 

"Often, the excuse we hear from the driver is, 'I’m only going in the store for a few minutes,' " Jaffe said. This hinders someone who cannot walk without pain or difficulty, or needs the access aisle next to the space to lower a wheelchair ramp. 

Sometimes the drivers don’t care about breaking the law, or else they wouldn’t park there in the first place, he said.   

Jaffe said he suggested that the committee begin snapping photos of unlawfully parked cars to use as evidence, and filing citizen complaints with police.  

"That way the person has to come into court, and the picture serves as proof that their vehicle was unlawfully parked, he said. "Sometimes, enforcing the law is all you can do and hope that the person learns from the experience."

He is not alone in thinking there is a need for local residents to get involved. 

Marilyn Bonica said she read the recent article on NorthJersey.com about handicapped parking shortages, and she related her own experience in Clifton.

On April 5, she had her son report a violator to Clifton police, she wrote. 

"We assumed that a car would be sent out and (as the sign states) would have issued him a summons. Instead we were told that they do not respond to such calls and that it was not an emergency," she said, adding that they received some disparaging comments and were led to believe they were the problem for tying up the line.

Clifton Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said he was not familiar with Bonica's incident and wondered if the call went to 911, which is meant for emergencies. Handicapped parking violations, while important, often have to take back seat.

"Unfortunately, many times the workload does not permit us to handle parking complaints as promptly as we would like," Bracken said.

By the time police arrive, the vehicle is often gone, he said. 

"Residents taking photographs of the violations and then signing their own complaints is certainly an option and another way to hopefully deter these offenses," he said.

The city wrote around 250 tickets for violations of the handicapped parking statutes last year, he added.

City Councilman William Gibson, a retired Clifton police officer, agreed with Bracken's assessment.

"If it bothered me enough, I would probably call a dispatcher on the dispatcher line, which is 973-470-5911," he said.

Then again, he can see that if someone is a repeat violator of the handicapped parking laws, someone might be inclined to snap a photo, file the complaint and testify against the accuser in court. 

Email: fagan@northjersey.com