In what must be a recruitment attempt from the NYPD, the Post reports that traffic agents in the Westchester Square neighborhood of The Bronx can park their cars for free. The department allows two traffic agents per shift to stand at the corner of St. Raymond and East Tremont avenues, making sure nobody touches their colleague's cars—even if the two-hour parking meters have run out.
But NYPD spokesman Paul Browne says the service is a necessity, as 33 vehicles, both personal and departmental, belonging to traffic agents were "vandalized recently, including slashed tires, keyed exteriors, nails driven into tires and windows broken." Now why would anyone do such a thing to a traffic agent?
Residents claim this practice has been going on for years. One says, "[The agents say], 'These are our cars—we get courtesy just like the police get courtesy.' " But the Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan checked out what was going on and said that "it's an issue, and we're going to see that it gets addressed." MTA workers have also been getting away with parking for free in some neighborhoods, which Councilman Pater Vallone said is "not fair." At least you can park at all those freed up bus sto—nevermind.
