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Uncivil Servants was only launched last week, but it's already a hotbed of discussion. The website asks people to submit photographs of vehicles that are parked illegally (many times on sidewalks or in front of hydrants), but one commenter, "bklyncop1," questioned showing so police vehicle information for criminals to see - check out this thread from Monday. Another commenter, musha, wrote:
As I said, the plates are not necessary for this site to accomplish its goals.Now the NY Times looks at the debate. Matthew Roth of Transportation Alternatives, which runs the site, tells the Times he's sympathetic to officers' concerns, "This site is not meant to be pro-cop or anti-cop." However, TransAlt doesn't have the "money or manpower to alter, after the fact, the photographs already on the site." And the NYPD's response?The goals of this site are to make the city safer by correcting parking conditions that put others at risk. It is an admirable goal.
The goal of this site should not be to put the safety of officers or their families at risk, which you have a potential to do when you put our plate numbers on this site (not only on the pics, but in some cases highlighted captions)
Not everyone is law abiding. Not everyone comes to this site because they are seeking to make this city safer for those that drive, bike, and walk her streets.
Some people will come here to find more reasons to dislike cops. Others will already have such a dislike, and may be looking for ways to take action against a random cop or (if the cop is lucky) his personal property.
Official parking placards allow parking in some, but not all spaces that would otherwise be illegal. Placards do not exempt police or other vehicles parked in bus stops or in front of fire hydrants, for example.Well, what do you think?Last week, the Police Department towed 12 vehicles displaying police and court placards that were parked illegally in Chinatown in the First Precinct.
And Uncivil Servants is working on ways to have users black out plates before they post pictures.
Photograph by CrosbyMerchant on UncivilServants - it was taken Wednesday, March 14
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Lets face it, NO ONE is gonna go bother a cop (i.e. person carrying a legal firearm, who knows how to shoot it and is willing) because of some parking abuse. People are generally annoyed by this (like me), but no one is going to stalk a family of an armed person for something petty like this. Keep the pictures up!
How about concentrating on the problem of illegal parking by civil servants, instead of on this license plate "debate".
"Some people will come here to find more reasons to dislike cops." Like, uh, the fact they're fucking parked illegally all over the place? Yea, that would be a fair reason.
If you follow the logic out, namely how a perp is going to match a cop from the site to the name/face of the cop they dislike, the statistical odds are terribly long. A perp would have a much easier time of finding an officer by walking past a precinct to write the plate #s there. Further, because many officers don't drive to work, or don't park illegally if they do, there's a mighty powerful chance the few plates on the site would never match the perps supposed target.
Specious logic, at best, though it's good the site owners have pledged to limit the plates that do show up online.
I find it highly unlikely that folks are going to troll the UncivilServants site in search of cops/others parking illegally, then "take action against a random cop or (if the cop is lucky) his personal property."
License plates are already displayed publicly; what's the difference if they show up in a picture online? I could see someone try to make an argument that it could "out" an undercover vehicle, but I think it is more likely that an NYPD placard wouldn't be used on an undercover vehicle to begin with.
It is perfectly legal to publish photos with vehicle license plates and other identification as long as it was taken on a public street. No need for any obscuring!
I assume that photo was taken in Tribeca near the 71 Thomas St. Courthouse. I'm all for curbing abuse, but the court is there and these people view the parking pass as a job perk. If the placards were used in midtown... different story.
The web site admin's argument is bullshite.
they should only accept pix with the plate blacked out.
their attorneys put a small print disclaimer on the site saying they're responsible for nothing.
figures.
when the pot calls the kettle ....
Actually it's no where near the courthouse. The photo was taken on Crosby Street between Grand and Howard Street. I know because I pass by that block practically everyday and you can see the Vespa store to the left of the picture.
that's Crosby street.
SIMPLE: Do not park illegally or abuse permits and you will not find your car's pic and plate on the site. Most cops and their families feel they are above the law, speeding? blow thru red light? little dipsy? FLASH YOUR DAD'S BADGE AND GET HOME SAFE.
Same old song and dance. They can take pictures of us but we can't of them. Don't want to be known? Remove the placard.
And, name one criminal who used a license plate search to get back at a cop. And, tell me, in real world experience HOW easy it is to get a plate run.
Not likely a regular citizen can get one, even with those pay search sites.
I'm talking real experience and the circumstances along with it. No joe blow can get that type of info.
We live with police cameras taking pics of cars passing red lights automatically. We should aim for police personal vehicles illegally parked to be photographed automatically.
reinforcing the idea that it's pointless to be concerned about license plate display on the website. the criminal could write down your plate while your driving just as easily from the site. what a weak argument.
didn't think about the fact that they take pics of us all the time. what goes around comes around, big brother.
law enforcement should practice what they enforce.
It's a good thing you folks are all so vehemently "ZOMG! LOLLOL COPS R BAD! LOL!!11one1!!11!" over something as silly as this.
No, really.
Is ching back? but, of course.
silly silly ching.
edge: yeah, this issue is really "silly" tell that to the business owners losing parking revenue. and when emergency vehicles cant get to hydrants, will it be silly? when some driver runs into a bicyclist who has to navigate around a car parked in a bike lane, is that silly? when cars are parked all over your sidewalks and in intersections, causing people to have to walk in the street, is that silly?
when those who have guns make up their own laws, is that silly?
"And Uncivil Servants is working on ways to have users black our plates before they post pictures."
Why did Gothamist choose to write "black our plates before they post pictures"? Are some of you civil servants using illegal parking permits?
Cops hate when uppity folks have a problem with what they do. There's nothing new here.
Didn't you know? Once you get a shield, everyone's just supposed to respect you... just like that varsity letter in high school.
More whiney bitch cop bullshit.
I'll just pile on and say "bklyncop1's" argument is ludicrous. The odds of anyone using that site to target any specific cop is infinitesimal given the alternatives and difficulties that people have noted.
And to target cops, in general because of the site? Again, there is effectively no risk of that either.
If someone was really angry at police officers for parking illegally and wanted to take it out on them, they wouldn't run to a website. They'd stand next to the car and go after the officer in question.
And how many times has that happened? Never.
There's also the hypocrisy of it all. We could be here all week discussing the dangers and risks that police offers put innocent people in all the time. Republican Convention lock-ups anyone? Stray bullets into train stations? Hey, look! A group of people bike riding! Lock 'em up! Etc., etc.
Frankly, if they police policed their own, there wouldn't be a need for this website. It's their own actions that led concerned citizens to take these steps.
On a side note, there are a lot of typos in this article and it is kind of distracting.
First of all, To the "Bklyncop1" person . F**** you !!!! Maybe if you all didn't park illegally their would be no need for the website ! It's all fair play, If you can tap a person's phone illegally, Hand out "Phantom tickets" at will, Lie, Cheat, Steal,& Violate civil liberties, Shot Minorities at will ! Then we the people should be able to out you pricks for some of the things you all do on a regular basis ! Stop Crying and deal with it ! We have for the longest of time !
Whenever I see cars of public officials parked on sidewalks, etc., I wonder what the rationale is for permitting that. Is it really just a perk? NYC has ample public transportation that lots / millions of other people use, why not police officers, etc. too? Is is that they have odd hours (not unusual in my opinion)? It seems that good public policy would be to disincentize more cars from coming into the boroughs. What gives? Or, am I just naive?
On a tangent...
Can someone explain why all the minivan driving Hasids have parking placards? Some also have police lights, sirens or handicap tags! Are there THAT many Hasid government officials/police/whatever that need all of the above AND still drive like a retard?
why is it that cops HAVE to get free parking.. usually all over the sidewalk etc. near the precinct? They can be almost as bad as the fire dept. with the frat house attitude.
why is it that cops HAVE to get free parking.
How about Mayor's Office????
While I no longer drive into the city because of the high cost of parking, I do think that the focus should be put on the city managers. Why do they continue to build facilities that do not factor in parking for their poorly paid employees? Is it because they don't care or they don't want to spend the money????
From what the papers have reported these guys/gals are paid next to nothing and have to live within a certain proximity to NYC but are not paid enough to be able to afford to live in Manhattan.
I don't get it - it seems like a self fulfilling cluster---. The big cheeses of course are protected because they use either drivers, or designated spaces in lots or garages, so no one notices that perk, because all the little guys are fighting over parking spaces.
Almost all of the cars that I have seen in Soho, like the ones above, are "court Officers" an "Court Clerks." The placards look very official, but if you look into it, these are union issued placards and are in no way government documents. So, someone at the Union has Adobe photoshop and illustrator. Hmmmmmmm..... If I had known this last year I never would have gotten rid of my car.