Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop

[Kat Kanning]

Interesting tidbit from the jail for judges guys.  We'd talked about doing something like this in Keene.


Turning the Tables
Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
The Portland Mercury
April 20, 2008
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=753233&category=22101

BY MATT DAVIS

A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of citizen-initiated parking violations.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.

Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"

Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left. Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.

"If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."

Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines totaling $540.

Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up trouble.

"Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.

Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public information.

*   *   *

Please Remember
J.A.I.L.
P.O. Box 207
North Hollywood, CA. 91603

[margomaps]

Wow, that was ballsy -- good for him.

I feel bad for Eric Bryant though.  It seems somehow inevitable that he's going to experience some sort of retribution and/or harassment eventually, probably from a cop who is a friend of Chad Stensgaard (if not Stensgaard himself).

[Kat Kanning]

You're right, if the Portland cops are like they used to be.  One of them threatened to beat me up when I was 13.

[David]

I ticketed the Keene meter maid a month or so ago.  She was gone.  That guy was balsy.   

[Luke S]

I would have done the exact same thing. Policemen who think they're above the law and get out of line need to be put back in line.

[jaqeboy]

From the Portland Mercury:

Turning the Tables
Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop

BY MATT DAVIS

A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of citizen-initiated parking violations.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.

Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"

Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left. Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further....

[Free libertarian]

 I would have thrown trash at him!

[Beth221]

when i was in RI, i saw a cop car park under a NO PARKING sign, when I took a pic, presented it to the station, i was given a speech about how cops can park anywhere blah blah blah, i felt it was a lost battle, my point was, I would have been given a ticket if parked there.. 


i have the email form them, it was a joke.  I can post it if interested. 

It basically said Cops can do no wrong and mind my business. 

[Kat Kanning]

Merged the two topics on this.

[Luke S]

when i was in RI, i saw a cop car park under a NO PARKING sign, when I took a pic, presented it to the station, i was given a speech about how cops can park anywhere blah blah blah, i felt it was a lost battle, my point was, I would have been given a ticket if parked there.. 


i have the email form them, it was a joke.  I can post it if interested. 

It basically said Cops can do no wrong and mind my business. 

What arrogance. Totally unacceptable. They probably think they don't just enforce the law, they think they are the law, now don't they.

[Vitruvian]

What is the law, Luke S?

[FTL_Ian]

What is the law, Luke S?

"The law is the law!  Obey!"

[Beth221]

after writing to them, and showing a pic of a cop car under a NO PARKING SIGN, this is the response that was forwarded me from the chief.  Sorry to hijack the thread, if I had issued the cop a parking ticket, I am sure I would have gotten a similar response.  Now, when I took a pic, there was NO goose, and NO cop around.  He later cam from a building on the side of the road.  All I said to them, in a nutshell was, Ohh hell if I park there I would have gotten a ticket!!  My question now is, why give protection to a dead bird?  Apparently thats about what they are good for, cleaning up and protecting dead birds!  Ha ha!

Chief,



     After consulting with the officer involved, I have determined that the police cruiser was, in fact PARKED LEGALLY.  The officer had responded to a report of an injured goose.  He positioned his cruiser in a manner that gave protection to the bird that was in the street in front of the car.  The officer made it a point to not park in the adjacent handicapped parking space.  Please refer to the incident report below for further info.



     As a matter of law, under circumstances such as this, a police officer is exempted from NO PARKING regulations during the course of his duties.  I have attached the pertinent law to this message.



     So, the bottom line is that this matter was not viewed in context of what was going on.  Beth Golomb jumped to an erroneous conclusion in this matter and was wrong in her assertions.  A "snapshot" of an event is just that; a moment in time that does not depict the whole event.  I hope that Ms. Golomb realizes her error and in the future gets the whole story before accusing the police of misconduct.





Respectfully submitted,





Lt. Arruda









08-336            1450   911 - ANIMAL COMPLAINT               Services Rendered          3         

        Call Taker:    CJF - FUESZ, CONRAD

  Location/Address:    BROWN ST

  Party Entered By:    01/04/2008 1451 CJF - FUESZ, CONRAD

     Calling Party:    ANONYMOUS @ ***UNKNOWN*** - NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI 02852

  Party Entered By:    01/04/2008 1539 AAF - FAVRE, ANTHONY

    Involved Party:    MUNRO, LINCOLN H @ 25 WILLIAM ST - NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI 02852 401-294-5528

                       SSN: 021342104  DOB: 02/12/1945  Race: W  Sex: M

                ID:    AAF - FAVRE, ANTHONY

                       Disp-14:51:40                 Arvd-14:51:43  Clrd-14:59:20

                ID:    MEM - MacLaughlin, Mary

                       Disp-14:51:47  Enrt-14:51:48  Arvd-14:56:29  Clrd-15:00:05

         Narrative:    01/04/2008 1451 FUESZ, CONRAD

Struck goose on the street.



         Narrative:    01/04/2008 1540 FAVRE, ANTHONY

Subject stated that goose flew out into the roadway and he

struck it with his vehicle.  Goose died upon the arrival of

Animal Control.  No damage to vehicle.  Goose transported to

Dr. Byrd.










TITLE 31
Motor and Other vehicles
CHAPTER 31-12
Applicability of Traffic Regulations
SECTION 31-12-7



   § 31-12-7 Privileges allowed emergency vehicles. – The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:

   (1) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of any law;

   (2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;

   (3) Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he or she does not endanger life or property;

   (4) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.









Lt. Carlton Arruda       

**********************************************

Operations Division

Patrol Commander - B Platoon

North Kingstown Police Department of police. 

[KBCraig]

"Goose transported to Dr. Byrd"? 

[Beth221]

actually he spelled the vets name wrong, its really Dr. Bird, and yes she is a bird rehabilitator!!