UNIVERSITY POLICE CHIEF WRITES OFF TICKETS

                                     

By Amanda Moya

 

Public Records from Texas A&M University Police state that there have written 73 tickets for people parking in handicapped places since Fall 2018. Police Chief writes off four of his own.

 

Of the 73 citations written, there have been four written off by the Police chief, that were unavailable for comment for this story. Another three were written off by the Officer in the field, and another 30 had no reply or are not in the database. Leaving only nineteen that were paid after appeal or paid in good conscience.

 

“Each ticket can be written to faculty, student, vendor, visitor or parent, the University Police does not know whom they write the ticket out to when they do,” says Roy Dilkes, Parking/Traffic Control Supervisor for the University.  

 

There are approximately 250 spaces on campus for people with certain handicap situations. These situations are all done by a doctor, and in the State of Texas, these places are all marked with signs and insignias on the ground.

 

These spaces are meant for people with a red/blue placard that should be hung from the rearview mirror so that it is easily seen, unless it is on the license plate with the Universal sign for Handicap or DV on the plate. Both are meant to be used with the person in the car.

 

One student recalls, “When his mom would get out of her car and tell the person that parked in a handicap parking place that they need to be parked there since they did not have the right credentials .” says Nathan Spencer.

Each ticket is 500 dollars for parking in the handicap space without the proper credentials. To avoid this, do not park in these spaces.

 

The University does offer a temporary permit to those that need it. If you have a doctor's note that you can not walk for some reason a distance. Take it to them, and they can give you a temporary permit, this is on a case to case basis.

 

“I do not see why the tickets should be written off at all, you know when you park in a handicap space that you are taking [the space] from someone who needs it,” says, Brittanie Pineda.

 

The handicapped population of the City of Corpus Christi is not known, but the University is here to help anyone that is seeking a degree from age thirteen to age 98. Anyone of these students could use a handicap space with proper credentials.

 

The money that comes into the University from these tickets goes back into the parking lot and street fund for the University. Since it costs approximately six dollars to restripe a single space on campus.

 

“Although you cannot clearly see that a person may have a disability or not there is still no reason for a person to park in those places meant for the handicap”, says Ivy.

 

If you see someone parked in a handicapped place without the proper credentials feel free to call the University Police at (361) 825-XXXX. They are always available.

 

​

 

​

 

​