September 11, 2012

Letter: SFPD Abusing Parking Privileges?

A reader writes:
I am a Noe Valley Resident and lately have noticed how city police officers are to a certain extent abusing their privilege of no hassle parking to run errands while on the job. Last Friday, I was at the Korean restaurant and witnessed two police officers pull up and park their car in the bus stop section and came in for dinner. I understand the need to have the car close by in case they have an emergency but that seems like a bit too much leeway.

I am trying to understand if you folks would be willing to write something in this regard on the blog, I have pictures of the cops and their parking.
Abuse of power or necessary for effective police work? Is the Google Bus displaced? Does Robert Roddick know about this? Your (polite) thoughts in the comments, please.

13 comments:

murphstahoe said...

They were really bad when Philz opened, but I think the bus riders started to shoo them off. There is a person in a wheelchair who boards there and two police cars parked in the bus stop made it near impossible for her to board.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...cops hanging out in the neighborhood and people complain? Not sympathetic. I'm glad they're here.

Anonymous said...

seriously, cops are busy, under stress, and shouldnt be bothered...especially when it's not busy time in Noe. Go vent at the angry line of hybrids blocking traffic on 24th in front of Whole Foods.

Anonymous said...

I have no problem with the ubiquitous presence of police in Noe Valley, even if they "abuse" parking privileges. My issue is that they are omnipresent, yet ineffective. Why are there 5-10 of them standing outside Starbucks having a coffee while the patrons of the Peaks leave the premises every night and drive home after drinking?! Not to mention the obscene amount of noise pollution created by their motorcycles. This is a real safety issue for the neighborhood, while whether a Muni bus stop is being blocked by a police car is not. This is an issue that this blog, the community, and the police need to begin addressing.

Anonymous said...

Geez, give the cops a break.
Others may agree that if an emergency situation arose and public safety were at risk (say a gunman shooting randomly into Noe residents, for example), those cops would forego dinner and head towards the dangerous situation; not away.
I would go as far to say let them park in front of fire hydrants, or corners too.

Anonymous said...

What is the bus supposed to do if the police are in their lane? I noticed this as well on the corner 24th and Church, they were parked in the bus zone while they went to Happy Donuts.

Anonymous said...

Surely the opening of the new precinct substation at the corner of Douglass & 24th has alleviated the need for illegal (for that is what it is..) SFPD parking elsewhere in NV?

Anonymous said...

If you are truly interested in what the cops are doing...why don't any of you concerned neighbors ask to go on a ride along? it might give you a different perspective...or just stop and ask the cops?None of the other areas plaqued with heavy crime(bayview/hunters point) have the benefit of so many available cops....and when the cops get a call, they donot have the benefit of having their dinners to go? they gotta go...or even finishing the dinners they just paid for!

Anonymous said...

I called the cops when I saw a prowler in my backyard a few years ago. They were here before I got off the phone. Bus zone? Who cares. How the heck does that impact YOU? Now Apple buses in the bus zone? That's a bigger problem.

Anonymous said...

LoL

Ive seen cops take 5k dollars out of my uncle's pocket and keep it

Cities a rough places and cops are part of that environment. You aren't in pleasantville anymore

Anonymous said...

So we have the benefit of all these cops, yet every Amazon package sent to Noe Valley gets stolen...

Fat lot of good they are doing us sitting inside Hahn's Hibachi.

Anonymous said...

simple - cops is off duty when on break eating dinner and not to be called, so they can park in a REAL spot and not create a public nuisance and traffic safety issue. Then when they are back on duty they can go back to cars refreshed and ready to roll. Not much to ask for and we should pay for this to happen, a break is a break.

Anonymous said...

I have to just laugh at this...

#things self-entitled white people complain about.