DPD cracking down on handicapped parking violators

Demopolis Police Department has started an aggressive pursuit on catching handicapped parking violators. Demopolis Police Chief Tommie Reese warns citizens that handicapped parking spaces are for handicapped individuals and not just for individuals who just don’t want to walk the extra distance. Chief Reese said Handicapped Parking Violation are $100 and all other violations $25.

The city’s ordinance on handicapped parking is as follows.

A “handicapped individual” is a person having a permanent mental or physical handicap, which limits mobility to the extent that the individual would have difficulty safely walking alone a distance of fifty (50) feet or more.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 3, 11-7-85)

State law reference—Similar provisions, Code of Ala. 1975, § 32-6-230.

Sec. 19-31. – Designation of spaces on public property authorized.

The chief of police is hereby authorized to designate, mark and identify parking spaces for the exclusive parking of motor vehicles of physically handicapped persons. This authorization is for all public streets, public parks, public buildings and any other public areas where the chief of police determines it is appropriate and proper to establish exclusive parking places for physically handicapped persons.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 1, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-32. – Designation of spaces on parking decks and private property authorized.

With the consent of the owner, the chief of police is also authorized, in addition to the above, to designate parking spaces in parking decks or privately owned parking lots and authorize such spaces to be posted as parking for the handicapped under the provisions of this article. The parking spaces so designated in parking decks or on privately owned parking lots shall be subject to the same regulations as provided in this article for public property.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 2, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-33. – Decal and placard.

Any person who submits to the judge of probate, license commissioner or other proper issuing authority of the county medical proof satisfactory to the appropriate official that such person is a handicapped individual, as herein defined, shall be issued a distinctive license plate decal and a special identification placard displaying the international symbol of access thereby designating the driver of the vehicle or the passenger therein as being a handicapped person.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 4, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-34. – Parking authority conferred.

The handicapped individual to whom these distinctive license decals and placards are issued shall be allowed to park for unlimited periods of time in parking zones designated for handicapped persons; provided, however, that such handicapped persons shall pay proper and appropriate parking fees and parking meter fees the same as any other person. The provisions for parking an unlimited amount of time will not apply to zones where time limitations are imposed by local officials.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 5, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-35. – Parking without decal or placard displayed.

It shall be unlawful for any person not displaying a distinctive license plate decal and/or a special identification placard as herein provided to park any vehicle in an area designated for handicapped parking. This provision shall apply to a handicapped person as defined above if driving a vehicle not appropriately and properly identified under the law.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 6, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-36. – Illegally obtaining or using decal or placard.

Any person is not a handicapped individual or person as herein defined and who wilfully and falsely represents such person’s self as a handicapped person to obtain the distinctive decal and placard prescribed by this article or misuses or abuses the parking privileges protected by this article, or owns a vehicle bearing the distinctive license decals and is not entitled to do so under the provisions of this article, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in section 1-8.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 7, 11-7-85)

Sec. 19-37. – Presumption as to vehicle ownership.

In any prosecution for the violation of any provision of this article, relating to the operation of parking of vehicles, it shall be prima facie evidence that the owner of such vehicle was operating the same at the time of the alleged violation.

(Ord. No. 1985-13, § 8, 11-7-85)