Question: Recently I have noticed an increasing number of people parking in handicap stalls with no handicap placards or plates, including a healthy man with a young son. At the same time, an elderly couple with a placard and a wheelchair attached to their car circled the lot in vain looking for a handicap stall. A terrible example of teaching a child to break the law! Who is responsible for monitoring these violations? Where can I lodge a complaint when I witness these violations? What is the penalty for parking illegally in a handicap stall?
Answer: The Honolulu Police Department enforces the disabled parking law.
For an immediate response, call 911, said HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu.
For repeated violations by the same vehicle or in a particular area, she said the public should call HPD’s Volunteer Special Enforcement Officer detail at 723-3419.
Anyone who parks in a disabled parking space without a valid placard or license plate or parks in an access aisle is guilty of a "traffic infraction" and faces a fine of $250 to $500, plus any court cost related to the fine. (A "traffic infraction" is a violation that does not have a penalty of imprisonment.)
Anyone with a valid placard or license plate who fails to display either while parked in a disabled parking stall faces a fine of $25 to $100, plus possible court costs.
Anyone who uses a disabled parking space who refuses to present an ID card issued with a parking placard/license plate to an enforcement officer when asked faces a fine of $250 to $500.
Civilian volunteers
The volunteer detail, part of HPD’s Traffic Division, initially was set up to deal solely with disabled parking violations, but has since been expanded to address all other kinds of parking violations.
The civilian officers also will issue citations for expired safety stickers and registrations, and for abandoned vehicles.
They are meant to free up patrol officers to focus on more pressing concerns.
According to the HPD’s website — bit.ly/1uCAC4T — volunteer officers issue about 300 citations a month, about 200 of them involving disabled parking violations.
There currently are 21 members of the detail.
Volunteers have to go through at least 20 hours of training that includes learning state and city laws, the use of equipment, how to issue citations and provide testimony in court, as well as what to do if confronted by suspected violators.
They are then commissioned by the police chief as "special police officers."
To qualify, one must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Honolulu and at least 21; pass a background investigation; have a valid state driver’s license; have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent; conform to HPD standards of conduct, directives, orders, policies and procedures both on and off duty; work a minimum 20 hours a month; pass a physical exam and oral interview; and meet any other "prescribed criteria."
For more information, call 723-3412.
Mahalo
To the employees at the Pearlridge Satellite City Hall: Last month I had to take my elderly father there to renew his driver’s license. I was apprehensive, having read stories of the long waits and incomplete documentation issues. We armed ourselves with the appropriate documents and steeled ourselves for an unpleasant encounter with bureaucracy. We were greeted at the door by an employee standing with a laptop, who looked over my father’s papers and directed us to a short line with someone seated at a counter. This second person affirmed that my father had the right papers, gave us a number and told us to take a seat at one of the open chairs. Two minutes later his number was called, and in no time a third courteous person had taken his photo, fingerprinted him and collected his payment. We were there about 10 minutes total. Mahalo to the employees at the Pearlridge Satellite City Hall for making it a surprisingly pleasant and speedy experience! — Lani Abrigana
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
