.
Feedback

Ask an Officer: ADA Parking, Neighborhood Watches

Have a question for a police officer? Ask it here.

If you have questions for the Prince William County Police Department, we'll pass them along to Officer Jonathan Perok and First Sgt. Kim Chinn, public information officers with the department.

Questions can be asked anonymously. Submit your questions to us via e-mail at laurenj at patch.com, by posting a comment on this article, or by sending us a Tweet or a message on our Facebook page

Question: Why can’t the police enforce federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues in the county? For example, disabled parking that is on a hill, making it impossible for disabled in wheel chairs to leave the vehicle safely. Regular parking spots that were changed to Disabled Parking spots but no lines were added to make the accessibility impossible for disabled in wheel chairs to leave their car. This is just an example of situations that police could enforce.

Answer: County Property Code Enforcement is responsible for ensuring that private and public properties are compliant with ADA issues. The county police, however, can enforce laws where vehicles are parked in those spots without a valid reason to do so. Below is a link to the code enforcement website.

http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/publicworks/ns/Pages/Property-Code-Enforcement.aspx 

Question: Is there an explorer program in PWC for teens who are interested in law enforcement as a career path?

Answer: There sure is, the following link should provide you with more information on the program.

http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/police/Pages/Law-Enforcement-Explorers.aspx 

Question: How can I get a neighborhood watch started in my neighborhood?

Answer: The following link should provide you with the information you requested.

http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/police/Pages/Neighborhood-Watch-Program.aspx

 


Nick Whitten June 11, 2012 at 12:39 pm
For the working middle class, why doesnt your "parking enforcement" branch have a one warning system? I am fairly new to this area, and commute into DC like several others. After getting back to my car I noticed a parking violation on my windshield, I had a vanity plate instead of my front license plate and was issued a violation because of it. Where I come from police are an engrained part of the community, not a faceless revenue stream. A first time warning would have been a nice gesture, instead this bitter taste in my mouth lingers.
Lauren Jost June 11, 2012 at 01:06 pm
Ahh yes, are you new to Virginia? You have to have both license plates mounted on the front and rear of the car so they're "securely fastened and clearly visible." http://www.dmvnow.com/webdoc/moving/newva.asp
I'll add your question to our list for next week, Nick!
Nick Whitten June 11, 2012 at 01:25 pm
Yeah unfortunately I found that out the hard way, I moved here from Vermont this past August after taking a promotion in DC. Thanks for submitting the question :)

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Woodbridge Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something