Detectives Say Their Cars Shouldn't Be Towed

NYPD detectives are angry that they have to follow the same parking regulations as everyone else. According to the Post, on-duty detectives have had their cars towed by a special NYPD Internal Affairs unit at least 35 times. Detectives union president Michael Palladino is furious about the police unit, which goes after illegally parked police vehicles. "The policy is ridiculous," he said. "It's an absolute waste of the taxpayers' money." NYPD spokesman Paul Browne defended the policy and insisted that no cars were towed while detectives were making arrests. "Parking placards have never authorized police to park in front of hydrants, in bus stops or in cross walks or on sidewalks," he said. What about bike lanes?

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By Ben Muessig in News on March 9, 2010 6:04 PM

Comments [rss]

CaptainWillard

First of all, these cars are not getting towed from infront of a deli, or anything like that. They are getting towed from INFRONT OF CITY COURTHOUSES, while the detectives are inside conducting business. Nevermind that there is no actual parking lot of cops, and that the signage in this areas is both inaddiquate and outdated, but, there just isn't space to park these vehicles legit. So that is why they end up in the "no parking, no stanting, etc" spot... Then IAB comes to ticket and tow em... Also, they won't two a marked patrol car, but an unmarked detective car will get towed... Whats the difference?

xToddrick

They should also be ticketed for leaving there cars idling while parked and for not using turn signals which can be very useful to pedestrians.

Spudster

What about parking in illegal spots near the station house? This happens ALL the time in front of the 7th precinct in Manhattan--cars with placards park on the sidewalk, in front of curb cuts, in front of hydrants. All day, every day, in a two-block radius.

I have no quarrel with police parking illegally when they are out on an investigation. But when they do it when they get to their office (and when it's the same block all the time), I cannot defend it.

5borough

Although offensive parking for no reason is annoying and brings a bad attitude towards cops, does anyone have a suggestion as to where Detectives in Manhattan and other limited parking areas should park?

I imagine the spot out front is not always there like on law and order.

"Ok, we got 'em, now go get the car."

HOTCUP

or "you go get 'im, i'll drive around the block until you get back!"

Zchef

Cops cars are notoriously towed from in front of court buildings and the vicinity of 1pp. Also likely: from near where they live.

Think about who's doing the towing... Would they really sit and observe the donut shop in the middle some random precinct to look for unmarkeds parking illegally?

If the park consistantly in front of the same hydrant or bus stop, there is a better chance complaints will be made and substantiated, leading to a possle tow.

I don't think it's a bad thing to be punished for parking illegally near your home, or if u decide to park like a VIP in front of some club... On the other hand, a cop having trouble getting to court b/c there isn't adiquate parking is a bit silly.

HOTCUP

are people seriously arguing that on-duty cops should not be able to park illegally?

you realize this is new york city, right? legal parking is extremely rare on a 24 hour basis in some of the more congested areas. it would be impossible for cops to effectively respond to anything if they had to spend the time following parking regulations every single time.

honestly, i'd rather live with the abuse. having a car in this town is going to suck no matter what cops do. just deal with it.

swoop

35 times isn't enough. I've seen cops run through lights and illegally park their cars all over. Once I even saw a police car whose driver got on the loudspeaker and told everyone to go through a firehouse controlled red light so he could get through. It's ridiculous. Cops are subject to the same laws they enforce. Unless there's an emergency situation. There's no need to run a red light. It puts the public at risk. I've seen near misses when cops just think the can stroll through them. And there are signs all over One Police Plaza saying that cops must obey parking and traffic rules in police vehicles. It's plastered in the elevator and no one does it because no one will enforce it. If they really do have quotas, I bet an officer could fill it in one night just ticketing police vehicles.

I got a traffic ticket for slowing down at an all stop sign when the only on coming traffic is directly in front of me. And it was 3AM there wasn't another car on the road. And I've seen dozens of people as well as cops run through that sign without even a pause. It's absurd. Laws are there for all members of society to follow.

jaycjay

Is there any reason why a detective can't find a legal parking space and walk three blocks, just like the rest of us do?

CaptainWillard

Yeah, its called time. They usually have to punch in at a precinct, then drive over to the courthouse in traffic, and punch in at court, in a small amount of time. If they miss the time limit, they get in trouble...

nicemarmot

I gotta say, they've really been going on a ticketing/towing rampage lately. I hadn't seen a single traffic agent ticketing a car in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2007. Now in the last few weeks they're everywhere all the time. This morning they ticketed a guy who doubleparked outside the dry cleaners and he was really only in there two minutes. I was shocked, but not as shocked as he was! I think I heard about a dozen FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKs before I rounded the corner.

MEDICNYC

The law states you can't double park. It is dangerous and illegal. The law doesn't allow for double parking for a couple of minutes.

nicemarmot

REALLY??? OMG thanks for the info bro! How would I ever learn anything without internet commenters?

youngpro

and youll keep learning more so long as you make non-sensical comments

youngpro

tough shit, nypd. follow the rules like the rest of the law abiding nyc and you wont have a problem.

'"It's an absolute waste of the taxpayers' money." --- isn't it a money maker if it generates fines?

kazubes

Are you dense or what? You think NYPD detectives who's on duty police vehicles are towed have to pay the fine? The only thing it does is force them to go retrieve the car and or probably get some kind of discipline internally.

CaptainWillard

Where do you get your info? As it stands, the detectives have 2 choices. Either pay the ticket, or take a Command Discipline (and lose vacation days). Both are costly.

youngpro

and as per usual, you missed the point:

'isn't it a money maker if it generates fines?' ASKS A QUESTION. If that is the case fine, if not, so be it. It doesn't mean there are fines, if that's what you misinterpreted.

pinball29

Ill bet that when their cars are towed, they do not have to pay the extortionate fines and tow fees that the rest of us are scammed into. The entire ticket/tow operation in this city is a corrupt cesspool to extort money from the citizens of this city.