A video of a Massachusetts cop emerging from McDonalds and being called out for parking in a handicap space has gone viral, as an example of what happens when citizens police the police.
The cop, carrying a sack of burgers and a tray of junk, walks (able bodied) to his cruiser but is interrupted by a man who asks him if he is aware of the parking infraction.
The officer responds by first claiming that the spot isnt a disabled bay, a clear lie, as the video footage verifies, and then saying that he can do whatever he wants.
So you get to park wherever you want? the man asks.
Thats right replies the officer.
As the man pursues the matter, the cop busts out the age old line Do you know who I am?
The law-breaking cop then resorts to intimidation, asking the man for his name and pulling out a notepad, as if hes about to issue a citation or report a crime.
The man stands his ground and tells the cop that he doesnt have to tell him his name or show ID simply for pointing out police wrongdoing.
The video was posted to the Webster Police Facebook page, prompting several pointed responses.
Coverage of the incident prompted the department to initially respond by defending the officer and claiming that the parking space was a regular spot. However, the Facebook post now seems to have disappeared, along with the entire Webster police Facebook page.
The posts were mirrored on Twitter however:
These kinds of videos are increasingly popping up as more law abiding citizens stand up to law breaking cops. Recently, a video showing a cop being pulled over by a citizen for speeding received a huge amount of attention.
It seems that showing cops that they are not above the law is immensely popular.
The new direction at Infowars is welcome. This is classic IW material but presented in a little more mainstream. I think IW will see some growth, could even start to rival WND or TheBlaze with its longtime viewers. IW could finally break through into the second tier of news brands.
Praise can be shown when IW joins in to crusade with handicappedfraud.org in their effort to stamp out ALL handicapped parking fraud.
HandicappedFraud.org was launched as a place for community based reporting of handicapped placard abuse and fraud. Unfortunately, there is wide spread abuse of the blue placards issued to the handicapped, and there simply aren't enough police officers to issue the tickets.
HandicappedFraud.org was launched from personal experience, and the desire to change people's bad habits.
I have a severely handicapped brother. When I was one of his caregivers, I drove endlessly in circles looking for suitable handicapped parking. Often, we were forced to just wait it out, and hope for a designated blue handicapped parking space to become available. We were overwhelmed by how many able bodied people slipped into these cars and drove away.
Flash forward 20 years.
My Grandfather has a blue placard issued from his Doctor. My Grandfather suffers from Macular Degeneration, is 80% blind, has dementia, and is barely mobile with the use of a walker. While driving my Grandfather to the hospital, we approached the bank of handicapped parking spaces. Thankfully, I could see there was a single space left. As I approached, a snazzy red Corvette zipped into the handicapped parking space, and the woman rummaged in her glove box - pulling out a placard and hanging it on her rearview mirror. She jumped out of the car, doing a quick glance around and went quickly into the Hospital.
In an effort to create change, awareness needs to be brought to the public eye. These offenders seem to slip in and out of their illegal handicapped parking spaces, with no questions asked. Breaking the law every day with no repercussions.
How Does it Work?
This site depends upon you to help in the effort of bringing attention to the offendor/s. When you see an offense:
Don't confront the person. These people may be handicapped, and we don't want to create any hassle for them. Or, they may be law breakers, and could become very agitated at being pointed out.
Record their license plate number
Record their placard number (on the placard itself)
Leave a post-it note on their car that says they've been reported at HandicappedFraud.org
Our goal is to have hundreds or even thousands of uploads at the end of every month. A report will be generated and sent to each state's DMV. It is then DMV's opportunity to see trends from these reports, and track the placard number to the Doctor and patient. If abuse is detected, fines may be issued, and placards revoked. Both of these will bring awareness and change to this rampant problem.
When violators are caught red-handed, an officer can issue a ticket for $250.00 - $3,000.00 and they can be jailed for up to six months.
Who Are We to Say Who is Handicapped?
We are not qualified to know if someone is healthy or not. Our organization does not issue tickets, but raises awareness and hopefully shames offenders into: paying for their parking meters and leaving designated spaces for the truly handicapped. There are instantly several tickets that can be issued from DMV based on our report:
If a placard was reported as lost (and is being used)
If a placard has been reported stolen (and is being used)
If a placard has been issued to someone who is now deceased (and is being used)
If a placard is recurring in front of an office building, and is issued to a 90 year old blind man, it is most likely being abused. DMV can send an investigator.
If you accidentally report someone that truly is handicapped, there is nothing that will happen to them.
What exactly are the Laws for placards? Here it is, straight from DMV:
You can be certified disabled by a physician if you have limited mobility or if you have one of the following conditions:
Heart or circulatory disease
Lung disease
A diagnosed disease or disorder that significantly limits the use of lower extremities
Specific, documented visual problems, including low vision, partial-sightedness, or blindness
The loss, or loss of the use, of one or both lower extremities or both hands In some cases, including those related to lack of mobility in the hands, arms, or lower extremities, a disability can be certified by a licensed chiropractor.
The blindness of any disabled parking applicant must be certified by a licensed physician or surgeon (eye specialist) or by a licensed optometrist.
Temporary or Permanent
Disabled license plates are available only to those with permanent disabilities. There is no fee for the plates other than your normal annual vehicle registration fee.
A temporary disabled parking placard is good for six months. A permanent disabled parking placard is valid for two years and expires on June 30 of odd-numbered years. Either way, the plastic placard is displayed inside the vehicle in which the disabled person is riding or driving. Both permanent and temporary disabled parking placards require a doctor's certification unless:
You have lost a lower extremity or both hands, and you go in person to your local DMV office to obtain your placard. You already have California disabled person (DP) or disabled veteran (DV) license plates assigned to you.
Disabled Placard Abuse
Unfortunately, there has been widespread abuse of the disabled handicapped parking system in California, both by unauthorized persons using disabled placards and by those simply parking in the marked handicapped parking spaces without a disabled placard. Offenders can face a stiff fine if their vehicle is ticketed.
Remember, you are the only person authorized to use your disabled placard. You must be either the driver or the passenger in a vehicle for the placard to be valid.
If you abuse your parking placard or let someone else do so, the placard is likely to be cancelled and revoked. Further, you could be fined $250 to $3,500 and jailed for six months.