Dear Editor:
Is Jefferson City so strapped for funds that the parking enforcement personnel have to patrol the high school parking lots looking for victims or is it a sign of laziness.
I have been informed of or witnessed parking tickets having been issued to students who had parking permits, had them displayed but they were facing the wrong direction so they received a ticket.
Parents are unsuspecting victims too as they attend school functions trying to support their children only return to their vehicle to find a parking ticket. Better signage, use of modern technology, compassion and common sense would go along way.
During my time as a law enforcement officer we were reminded that we were there to serve the citizens and promote a safe environment through the education and enforcement of laws and regulations.
Somewhere along the way that philosophy has seemed to have given way to who can write the most tickets.
I hope that the Parking Enforcement Agency leadership will emphasize to its personnel to utilize common sense and compassion when writing tickets. They should also make sure the regulations to be enforced are prominently posted for unsuspecting citizens.
Again, when you look at what is being accomplished by writing parking lot tickets it appears nothing other than to get money. I can see writing tickets to people not putting money in a parking meter; that is a revenue raiser and it is obvious to the violator.
But school parking lots where there is no revenue being lost it appears only to be a means to get money.