Parking Enforcement Officer

The job of a Parking Enforcement Officer is simply to enforce the parking laws of the Village.  While it sounds easy, it is everything but.  The job requires a keen sense of fairness in applying the laws equally, kindness, and an ability to take verbal abuse from time to time without the Parking Enforcement Officer losing their temper.  A Parking Enforcement Officer must remain calm and polite no matter how angry a ticket recipient might become. The Parking Enforcement Officer does not make the laws, but merely enforces the laws for the safety and wellbeing of all. It is a vital job and ensures our roads and parking lots are as safe as possible.

While some parking rules may seem arbitrary or as some might suggest, as a way for a municipality to make money, the reality is there are important reasons for all parking laws.   

1. The prohibition against parking in a fire lane is for the safety of people in stores and for the ability of the fire department to be able to fight any potential fire.  A person might park and go into the store “for just a minute” only to find themselves caught in a fire.  The firetruck will not be able to get as close to the building as needed to best fight the fire if cars are parked in the fire lane.  Police Officers and Ambulance drivers also always need close access to best do their jobs.  A person may illegally park in a fire zone, and not be aware that an ambulance and Police Officer are arriving in mere minutes.
2. The no parking in front of a fire hydrant and within a set amount of feet of that hydrant law ensures that firemen always have ample access to the hydrant.
3. Parking is prohibited in pedestrian crosswalks to ensure pedestrians can have a safe place to cross the street and to be highly visible to any approaching drivers.   
4. Parking in a handicapped spot without a legal pass, negatively impacts our residents.  Often the person legally utilizing such parking needs not only the room for a vehicle but also the side marked area to navigate a wheelchair into and out of their vehicle. People may have conditions that are not apparent to a quick observer, but all passes are medically approved and necessary.  Leaving those spots for handicapped pass holders is not only legally necessary but is also morally correct and supportive of all our fellow residents.
5. Parking left side to curb is illegal for the simple reason that a driver must cross oncoming traffic to position the vehicle left side to curb.  This is extremely dangerous for the driver and any oncoming cars the driver might infringe upon.
6. Train station parking is also an area with needed regulations.  The station must be kept orderly and parking in front of exit stairways is a safety issue for people exiting the station and walking to their cars.  All cars must be parked legally within the marked spaces to ensure all vehicles may navigate the parking lot in a safe and expeditious manner.
7. The Croton train station is owned by the Village and was purchased with bonds.  Parking fees are used to maintain the parking lot and in the past, have been used to pay off the purchase bonds.  Parking fees also add to the Village revenues to keep taxes lower than they could be without the train station.  
8. Parking restrictions for one side of the street parking are necessary to ensure emergency vehicles can navigate many of our narrow and winding streets.  While a driver may not feel the street is too narrow, our firetrucks and ambulance are much larger than the average passenger car and emergency vehicles need more room to maneuver.
9. Snow emergency regulations ensure that the snowplows can access all roads and clear the snow for the safety of drivers and to ensure people have access to parking once the storm passes.
10. Limited time parking ensures that the spot turns over frequently, giving shoppers a place to park and visit our local stores.  The merchants rely on convenient parking to bring in customers, adding to our vibrant community and our much-needed tax base.
11. Limiting parking on certain days of the week in areas such as Harmon ensures that streets are not impassable, cars do not narrow a roadway, and residents have access to their property and driveways.
12. No parking at bus stops is an important law to keep the buses running on time and to allow passengers to enter and exit the bus in a safe location.

While following all parking laws and regulations is not always convenient, it is vital for all of us to do so for the safety of ourselves, our families, and the community.

This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.