Video: Private Citizen issues Parking Ticket to Cop

Video: Private Citizen issues Parking Ticket to Cop

rawstory.com

An attorney has filed an illegal parking complaint against a Portland police officer.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting at a restaurant in the trendy Northwest part of town when Officer Chad Stensgaard parked his patrol car next to a “No Parking” sign and walked inside to wait for his food.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Eesh...That's pretty ballsy...I didn't even know something like that was possible to do! He is probably going to be seeing alot of "patrols" wherever he goes from now on.lol

It will be interesting to see if the courts just dismiss this since it was LE on duty in a marked car...I wonder if they'll hold him accountable?

Bryant told the Portland Mercury, an alternative weekly newspaper, that Stensgaard acknowledged the no parking sign when asked about it, but then just watched a basketball game on TV until his food was ready.

Bryant says he looked up the law and then filed a complaint as a private citizen, alleging violations with fines totaling $540.

rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Warms the cockles of my black little heart.... love it.

Thanks for posting that.

Wow. It's about time someone tried this. I can't even count how many times I've seen cops park in no parking zones just because it's closer to where ever it is they're going and they don't want to walk through the parking lot. If it's that important to be able to get to your car quickly cause you're on duty, maybe you shouldn't be going shopping or in this case waiting for food to cook.

What I'd really like to see though is a cop get a ticket for speeding when they aren't on their way to a call.

I watched this when it aired on our local news. The cops supervisor was interviewed. He said that he thinks this is ridiculous and that "You can't expect an officer to circle the block and find a "legal" parking spot." Um, yes... I can expect an officer of the law to actually follow the law. If he doesn't feel he should be away from his vehicle, then he should pack a freakin lunch or find someplace with a more accessible parking spot.

The fact that his boss was so disgusted with this kind of blew my mind. I tip my hat to the lawyer.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Saw this on CNN couple days ago.. lol, the cop says "illegally" with finger quotations.. I love it.. next time I get a ticket I will use the finger quotes "ya, oookkk officer, I was an i-l-e-g-a-l parking spot, haha, whatever"

I might have to add a hasty "Don't taze me bro!"

To play devils advocate.

What if there was an emergency, and the cop was the closest one to the incident. Wouldn't you rather him be close to his vehicle so he can get to the incident sooner, rather than running a block (or more) to his vehicle?

reply to post by Double Eights


I agree. It was a huge emergency. The whole world would've went BOOM and stuff that's related to big boomness if he hadn't went in to watch the almighty omnipotent basketball game.

End Sarcasm.

Really, this story is hilarious. Kudos to Mr. Byrant.

Editted for spelling

[edit on 4/24/2008 by Hyzera]

Originally posted by Hyzera
reply to post by Double Eights

 

I agree. It was a huge emergency. The whole world would've went BOOM and stuff that's related to big boomness if he hadn't went in to watch the almighty omnipotent basketball game.

End Sarcasm.

Really, this story is hilarious. Kudos to Mr. Byrant.

Editted for spelling

[edit on 4/24/2008 by Hyzera]

So if someone broke into your house, and was holding your daughter at gunpoint, you'd prefer if the authorities had to run a couple blocks to get to their vehicles...instead of walking out the door and hoping right in?

OK. I'll play.

Reporter "Why did the response take so long?"

police chief "Well, office bob here was eating his double cheese burger, side of fries and milk shake when we got the call... he had to run a block to get back to his car!"

Reporter "Why didn't he just go to a drive through?"

police chief "Um, Officer bob is kind of picky on his lunch, he prefers to walk a block to eat in the trendy upscale side of Portland"

Officer bob "Here's your double fudge milkshake and grilled chicken sandwich -- chewing food noticing the reporter -- mm muext tymmme we will mm munch munch be sure to park mm munch munch closer. How about Olive Garden tomorrow boss?"

I've got to agree with Rock on this one. The officer has a job to do and clearly was not doing it by standing inside a restaurant watching a basketball game. i'm sorry but I would expect that this officer would use common sense and stay with his vehicle not break the law to keep it closer.

It starts with parking spaces and it ends with...?

Originally posted by Double Eights
So if someone broke into your house, and was holding your daughter at gunpoint, you'd prefer if the authorities had to run a couple blocks to get to their vehicles...instead of walking out the door and hoping right in?

I would expect if they're on duty or on call they pick better places to eat where they don't have to break the law to do so or bring a bag lunch like the rest of us.

Another words if they can't go somewhere to eat and park legally in order to be close to their vehicle they shouldn't be eating there.

They scald us (ticket us) and laugh at our excuses for speeding or parking illegally. Their reasons for breaking the law to not take precedence above ours and if they are not accountable than neither are we.

We all have choices and if you choose to be a cop you should follow the law and make a good example and you should know there's some places you can't go or things you can't do - having chose that profession or being on duty. You can't have your cake and eat it too, if eating it requires you to break the law while on duty.


[edit on 25-4-2008 by verylowfrequency]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the radio is in the car. Therefore even if an emergency was to arise, he wouldn't hear about.

I know a guy who works for DC government here. He has the position of throwing out parking tickets if he wants.

One night I was at the bar and he was introduced to another aquaintance of mine (a cop). Well, the cop asked him to get rid of some parking tickets for fellow police officers. The answer was a big NO. A fight ensued with lots of yelling. I totally agree with my friend about the answer to the cop.

Cops need to obey the law. If not, why do we have to?

On a side note. I ride my bike sometimes to work. And yes, I break the law sometimes and ride it on the sidewalk (there are some places where it's dangerous not to).

One day I was walking home and two bicycle cops rode past me. On the sidewalk. I took a picture with my cell phone.

Now, if a cop tries to harrass me for riding my bike on the sidewalk, all I have to do is take out my phone and ask: "What about these two?".

Originally posted by InSanE1
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the radio is in the car. Therefore even if an emergency was to arise, he wouldn't hear about.

Well, nice try but that was the old days. At least where I live all cops wear their radios on a tool belt in a clothing pocket. Many with microphones clipped to their top half of their shirts.

reply to post by InSanE1


Your wrong (you asked for it), the officer would have a radio on his person.

More "do as I say, not as I do" American Hypocrisy at it finest. Obey your rulers, even if they are not worthy of your respect. Right. Things are coming to a head, we all sense this.

So, by the assistant chief's logic, I could park in a no parking zone as long as the possibility exists that I might receive an emergency phone call, and need to leave immediately! Sweet!

Look up Jimmy Justice on YouTube. He documents this very thing and makes official complaints about it. He's a bit extreme but then he's right about them doing the very thing they ticket everyone else for.

Originally posted by Griff
On a side note. I ride my bike sometimes to work. And yes, I break the law sometimes and ride it on the sidewalk (there are some places where it's dangerous not to).

One day I was walking home and two bicycle cops rode past me. On the sidewalk. I took a picture with my cell phone.

Now, if a cop tries to harrass me for riding my bike on the sidewalk, all I have to do is take out my phone and ask: "What about these two?".

Er...

what?

I don't know where YOU live, but around HERE it is illegal to ride your bike ANYWHERE else but on the sidewalk lol..

It's why we put them in.

Illegal to ride a bike on the side walk..