Videotaping Illegally Parked Parking Agents

[RescueKujo 130]

Here's the link....

Jimmy Justice on NBC

"Jimmy Justice" shoves his camera in the face of a New York City parking enforcement officer who left her car in front of a fire hydrant. He starts filming and he taunts her.

"You're supposed to be enforcing the law, and here you’re breaking the law," he says with all the outrage he can muster after his camera caught her shopping at a drug store while parked by the hydrant. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

She rolls up the window and drives away, but not before offering the traditional New York single-fingered farewell wave.

Jimmy Justice -- he keeps his real name a secret for obvious reasons -- stalks New York streets looking for official parking cheaters to film. Finding them never takes long. “Justice” talked to MSNBC.com as long as we promised not to reveal his identity.

"Writing summonses is not about public safety; it's about revenue,” says the vigilante. “These people are tax collectors. It makes the whole system into a big joke when they violate laws."

(He also appeared Friday morning on NBC's Today show..)

If you've ever seen a cop break the law with seeming impunity, you'll cheer Jimmy Justice when you find his video clips on YouTube. The confrontations are irresistible. ("I'm good at pushing other people's buttons," the 36-year-old budding filmmaker says.)

In one clip, he shows a parking officer buying food at a deli while her car is parked at a hydrant. All the while, fire engines roar in the background; there's a fire down the block.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" he screams as she returns to her car. She walks away without responding. "Justice" says he's got 28 hours of video showing enforcement officers shopping at places like Victoria's Secret while double-parked or leaving their cars at bus stops.

The use of video cameras to catch misbehaving police officers has a long, controversial history. Most readers will remember the video of the Rodney King beating, which ultimately led to the 1993 Los Angeles race riots. But "CopWatch' projects date back at least to the 1960s and a project conceived by the Black Panthers to document racially motivated police abuse. Many cities around the country still have cop watch-style programs devoted to filming arrests to ensure fair treatment of suspects.

While those videos exposed dramatic police brutality, the YouTube phenomenon has taken video patrolling of patrol officers down a notch, enabling videographers to document everyday "above the law" behavior.

There is nothing violent about unfair parking ticket policies, but they do evoke emotionally charged responses.

Jimmy Justice is just one online vigilante seeking to expose those who park "above the law." A New York City-based Web site named UncivilServants.org is dedicated exposing official abuse of city parking passes by government workers. It encourages residents to send in photographs of illegally parked city cars, which it publishes anonymously.

"There is a culture of misuse that has evolved over generations," said Wiley Norvell, communications director for the site. "People are clamoring (for justice). This is a huge problem."

In a recent entry, titled "No Standing Anytime ... that includes haircuts," the site published a photo of a private car with a city permit parked illegally near a hair salon.

"I personally witnessed the driver pull into the spot and walk into Astor Hair. I happened to be getting a haircut there too," the writer said.

UnCivilServants.org is designed to embarrass city hall officials into clamping down on illegal parking. It's run by Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit group that advocates cycling and mass transportation. Having residents anonymously submit photographs allows them to report "above the law" behavior without fear of retribution. That's a serious concern, Jimmy Justice says, claiming he's been punched and pushed around by cops he's filmed, though he provided no video evidence of that.

UnCivilServants.org, launched in April, goes to great lengths to expose the illegal parkers, in some cases filing Freedom of Information Act requests to identify the drivers and report them to managers.

The site also gives law enforcement officials a chance to explain their behavior; many have offered comments explaining the need to park illegally while performing official duties.

"We had a real dialog with the community," Norvell said.

Anyone who's ever received a parking ticket will think "turnabout is fair play," and visitors who watch Jimmy Justice embarrass city officials risks developing a serious case of schadenfreude. But these turn-the-tables sites are not inevitably successful. A similar blog named Arlingtonparking.blogspot.com, based in the Washington D.C. suburb, caused a ruckus for area officials back in 2006, then went silent in the fall. Attempts to reach its author were unsuccessful.

Still, seeing the popularly of the Jimmy Justice videos and UnCivilServants.org Web site shows many drivers may be reaching the boiling point over parking tickets and their use as a revenue-producing tax -- rather than a legal instrument -- by local government officials. New York City collects close to $600 million in ticket revenue each year, and wrote 10 million tickets. Los Angeles collects $110 million.

Apparently not all of that money results from traffic and parking violations.

Recently, four New York City parking officials were arrested for writing false tickets in order to reach pre-ordained quotas. A recent story by WCBS featured video of a police officer writing a ticket for a resident parked in a legal spot.

In L.A., the city recently admitted it makes 100 to 150 clerical errors every day, issues tickets to the wrong drivers and collects more than $1 million each year from those who pay the undeserved fines.

Recipients who don't want to go to court had little recourse but to grit their teeth and pay the fines -- until now.

Now they can turn to video vigilantes like Jimmy Justice or join the movement -- if not for justice, at least for a little satisfaction.

"I want to inform civilians that they are allowed to make complaints against rogue officers," Justice says. "I don't want people to misunderstand that I am against police. I am against police who abuse their authority."

[Guest]

I wasnt going to post this topic, but since it has been posted here is the youtube link to the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyJustice4753

[JBE 328]

He's got a great point, but, there is a drawback to this situation. He may be going after the "Brownies" now, but it's only a matter of time before he may be filming a couple of regular cops, or a let's say double parked Engine or Ambulance. The traffic enforcement agents are an easy target, especially because if I remember right, they don't have arrest powers.

Personal experience with the traffic agents. I'm out on Cross Bay Boulevard, strolling into the Radio Shack. The car is parked on a hydrant, and there she is, gabbing to the clerk about a new cell phone. Here's where my inner Jimmy Justice comes out. "Excuse me, but you're parked on the hydrant." She looks at me kinda funny. I politely say to her, "You'd write me or anyone else in this store for doing that, so why would you do it??" Her reply, "Why you giving me a hard time??" My reply, "Oh, I'm not, I'm just proving a point. Set the example, here. You'd write me if I was doing it, and you're gonna do it??

She left, moved her car, and I felt better.

PS, a little warning about those videos, there is some salty language being used, so you may want to keep the kids away.

Edited August 17, 2007 by JBE

[RescueKujo 130]

Personal experience with the traffic agents. I'm out on Cross Bay Boulevard, strolling into the Radio Shack. The car is parked on a hydrant, and there she is, gabbing to the clerk about a new cell phone. Here's where my inner Jimmy Justice comes out. "Excuse me, but you're parked on the hydrant." She looks at me kinda funny. I politely say to her, "You'd write me or anyone else in this store for doing that, so why would you do it??" Her reply, "Why you giving me a hard time??" My reply, "Oh, I'm not, I'm just proving a point. Set the example, here. You'd write me if I was doing it, and you're gonna do it??

She left, moved her car, and I felt better.

Yeah, but Jimmy, would one of FDNY finest break the windows to get the supply line to that hydrant???

[Ladder44 73]

You ought to be asamed of your self Edited August 17, 2007 by Ladder44

[x648eng119 2]

And here come's the NYS V&T Law once again:

S 1104. Authorized emergency vehicles. (a) The driver of an authorized

emergency vehicle, when involved in an emergency operation, may exercise

the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions

herein stated.

( The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:

1. Stop, stand or park irrespective of the provisions of this title;

2. Proceed past a steady red signal, a flashing red signal or a stop

sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe

operation;

3. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger

life or property;

4. Disregard regulations governing directions of movement or turning

in specified directions.

Now the only grey area here - what's an emergency, what's not? The one traffic cop did have his lights on.. Could have been a traffic stop too

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Ol' Jimmy Justice better make sure he has all his ducks in a row, lol.

[JM15 386]

Some of those videos are pretty funny

[JBE 328]

And here come's the NYS V&T Law once again:

Now the only grey area here - what's an emergency, what's not? The one traffic cop did have his lights on.. Could have been a traffic stop too

Here's the thing, as far as I know, they cannot do traffic stops. They don't write moving violations. They only write parking tickets. I'm not even sure they qualify as emergency vehicles.

As far as busting out a window, I don't think it would be something they would do. Would cause too much trouble.

Edited August 18, 2007 by JBE

[Guest CRASH]

Here's the thing, as far as I know, they cannot do traffic stops. They don't write moving violations. They only write parking tickets. I'm not even sure they qualify as emergency vehicles.

As far as busting out a window, I don't think it would be something they would do. Would cause too much trouble.

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absolutely wrong those s.o.b's can and do write moving violations they are considered peace officers ..

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just the same mta police can write youi believe within 2 miles of a bridge or tunnel.

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state park police can write you on certain sections of the taconic

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it just never ends.

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but double standars do suck when it comes to these guys they put their little placards on their dashboards of their personal cars and park almost anywhere

[helicopper 1,050]

.

absolutely wrong those s.o.b's can and do write moving violations they are considered peace officers ..

just the same mta police can write youi believe within 2 miles of a bridge or tunnel.

state park police can write you on certain sections of the taconic

it just never ends.

but double standars do suck when it comes to these guys they put their little placards on their dashboards of their personal cars and park almost anywhere

State Park Police have statewide jurisdiction and can right you on South Broadway in Yonkers not just some sections of the Taconic. Just an FYI...

[dadbo46 50]

"Jimmy Justice" needs a life !

[Guest feraldan]

You get what you pay for. If you reduce your recruitment standards and don't pay even the real cops what they deserve, this is what you end up with. People with low moral character who feel the laws don't apply to them.

That said I think "Jimmy" has ulterior motives.

[Oswegowind 17]

just the same mta police can write youi believe within 2 miles of a bridge or tunnel.

state park police can write you on certain sections of the taconic

MTA police have statewide powers in NY since about 2002 or so...Reason why they have the state symbol on their vehicle! They can stop you anywhere, they are POLICE! Same goes for Park Police, although not State Troopers, the are NY State Park Police.

State Park Police have statewide jurisdiction and can right you on South Broadway in Yonkers not just some sections of the Taconic.

They actually are on S Broadway sometimes...they respond sometimes to alarms at Phillipseburg Manor Hall, corner of Riverdale/Hudson. Most of the time they just call us and see if YPD went and what the conditions were, but I have seen them a few times.

As for these parking ticket agents, correction NYPD traffic. They are a*******...they ticket for everything but don't set a good example by following the parking/traffic regs themselves. I understand what they have to do, but they think they are privileged to not have to do it themselves. As for Jimmy, I think he is right, but maybe he should tone it down a little, like send his tapes to city hall instead of youtube...just a thought!

Edited August 18, 2007 by Oswegowind

[Guest partyrock]

Don't get me wrong, I love the NYPD. They do a job you couldn't pay me enough to do. F-ing brownies can eat me. In Manhattan I'll turn off a cross street just to piss them off. I had one write me for blocking a hydrant while in uniform in the car waiting for a buddy of mine to come out with our coffee. The prick wrote it from his car and just walked up and handed me the ticket.

[Guest EFFP411]

when i was young and stupid, and lived in the city, we used to terrorize the "brownies" all the time. we egged the cushman a few times, or flattened the tires, etc. I think it was because my mom got a parking ticket in front of our own house, or something stupid like that I would never dream of it now though, i just make sure i pay attention to where i park if i go down there.

[MPACE2-299 0]

They should take a collection up to buy 100 of the "Boots" and have Jimmy Justice Lock them on all the illegally parked traffic cars. BTW The reason they wear orange vests that say traffic is because they cause traffic. Some of these people can't even direct traffic in a driveway let alone a city street.