If you shop or visit the many shopping centers in Cheektowaga you might have noticed an increase in the police activity while driving through the area parking lots.
In response to many complaints that the Cheektowaga Police Department has received of handicap parking violations and abuses, the Police Department has stepped up investigations and enforcement of handicap parking rules. Complaints have ranged from parking in designated handicap spots with no permit to fraudulent use of expired and /or valid permits by those individuals who are 100 percent healthy and not in need of special accommodations.
“Fraudulent use of handicap permits takes a more aggressive and time consuming effort”, said Lt. Brian Gould, who has led the stepped up enforcement by the Police Department. Officers have been interviewing motorist as they exit their parked cars to determine if the permits they display are actually issued to the individual and to determine if the permit is valid and not expired.
In the past week enforcement efforts have yielded the following results:
• 90 Permits were verified as valid
• 14 Permits were confiscated – 12 for illegal use and 2 for being expired
• 20 Parking tickets were issued
• 12 Vehicle and Traffic summonses were issued
Feedback from valid permit holders has been very positive as those individuals illegally parking in the handicap spots take up the limited spots available leaving those with a disability to have to park elsewhere and walk a greater distance.
The Cheektowaga Police are reminding the public to park legally and to destroy expired or invalid permits. They will be continuing enforcement efforts throughout the town in the future. If anyone observes someone illegally using a handicap parking permit or parking in a designated handicap parking spot without a permit, they can call the police dispatch center at 716-686-3501 or text the anonymous tip line at 847411(Tip411), enter the code CPDNY and then the information.