The City of Asheville Police Department and Parking Services Division are inviting residents to participate in the Volunteer Accessible (ADA) Parking Enforcement Program.
Through this program, the APD trains volunteers how to write citations and warnings to drivers who park illegally in handicapped disabled parking spaces. This year’s training, taught by APD Crime Prevention Officer Keith McCulloch, will be held on Dec. 12. Applications to the program are due Dec. 4. Here is a link to the Volunteer ADA application.
“The volunteer program provides a valuable service helping to educate the community about the proper use of ADA-compliant parking spaces,” said Parking Enforcement Supervisor Adam March. “In 2014, 622 of the 842 tickets written were by volunteers who had gone through the class.”
The volunteers, many of whom utilize handicapped-accessible (ADA) spaces themselves, are in a unique position to spot violations. Often, these are cases where handicapped placards are not displayed, placards are expired, or where drivers have parked in the striped zones around handicapped spaces. Many drivers aren’t aware that those striped zones are there to give people with wheelchairs or other mobility assistance room to exit or return to their cars. The program has been a great success for the City over the years in both educating and enforcing handicapped parking space laws.
For more information or to submit an application, please call 259-5759 or email Parking Enforcement Supervisor Adam March at [email protected]. Volunteers who go through the class are empowered to write handicapped parking citations only, and only within the City of Asheville limits and outside the Central Business District. Participants are given a background check and signed off on by the City Manager. Volunteers who have participated in previous years and who want to continue in the program must re-attend the class.