Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo PBA president John Davidson says his officers have received warning notices about marked patrol vehicles being parked illegally.
"We've had multiple members come into our office and hand us these notices," says Davidson. "They're notice of enforcement stating that you will be ticketed even if you are a public agency vehicle. So our marked units are receiving these warning tickets, saying that in the future you will receive a ticket for parking, whether it be in a crosswalk or a sidewalk or just in unauthorized parking location."
For him, this is a first and he adds this is problematic.
"The reality is, if you're a police officer, you should be able to park, and that should be able to. If you're an on-duty police officer, you have to park as close to the location as possible. If you've got a crime in progress, and I get to the building where the crime's occurring, would you like me to run into the building, or would you like me to find a parking spot? And then take a step further. The people say, 'Well, how come you need to park so close to the door at Tim Hortons? Well, the reality is, I'm going to need a cup of coffee because we don't have enough officers to work, and I'm run down. I'm overtired. Come and get a cup of coffee. And when a 911 call comes in for your mother being assaulted, or your wife being raped, or just any other kind of 911 call. Do you want me to be able to walk two steps to my car, activate the lights, and respond, or would you like me to walk down the street to where I found legal parking, nine blocks?'" Davidson noted.
Davidson thinks the public will not go for this.
"I think they're gonna see it for what it is. I think they're gonna see that it's Sean Ryan and Justin Booth being upset at the Buffalo TVA for being so vocal about not having a contract," Davidson said.
Davison says he's not sure how he would handle a marked police car getting a parking ticket.
The police union says notices are going out
The police union says notices are going out
