Maybe cop couldn’t read?

Yeah, I see cops parked in places like that frequently. Guess they figure their buddies won’t give them tickets.

Or they actually believe that laws don’t apply to them?

Oh my gosh, more breaking news! Thank god the Guardian has alert viewers such as this. Here I was, all side-tracked by the convention of the Idaho Legislature, homeless people on more and more street corners … thanks for bringing me back to more pressing matters Guardian. So glad I clicked on your site tonight.

In my years with the city, this is a common act… They don’t care because they don’t have to care.

And Gordon, you are correct, his buddies will not ticket him, at best they’ll get a laugh out of it.

Just the way it is…

I can understand the concern in this case. But the other one in downtown was a little over the top. When a police officer is on a lunch or dinner break they still respond to emergency calls. I would rather they don’t have to run 1/2 a block to get to their vehicle to respond to that call…

Then again – this is people judging a book by it’s cover. Maybe he was at the post office on a call?

NO ONE! is above the law, especially those we PAY to enforce them. Simple concept I would think.

Reminder “allowing lawyers to become politicians and create laws and regualtions to benifit themselves is no different than having the fox guard the hen house”

No logic, what I am saying is, people do not complain in the press etc, about all the other folks that do things like this. The police are paid to do a job that alot of people do not and could not do. So, if they have to park somewhere like that, so be it. Even if they are mailing a letter, and a emergency call comes out 1 minute away, I would rather he get to his bike quickly and get going then have to run across a half filled lot to get to it. And the main point I am trying to make is, people who write here need to worry about themselves and their lives, that is the main point.

laws don’t apply to coppers.
they don’t have to wear a seat belt, they can use their computers and drive at the same time – oh, that may be legal for everyone.

But I don’t know that this copper will ever get into trouble for parking in a no parking zone since it was in a parking lot, not on the street. This parking lot is not public property.

EDITOR NOTE–
Sam, the city code says, “Law enforcement officials are empowered to enter upon private property open to the public to enforce the provisions of this section.” AND THE FINE IS: 10-11-04C02 Fire Lane – Parking Prohibited $40.00

Question to all of the pro coppers who thinks it is okay to park in the fire lane because, god forbid, there might be the need for an emergency run to the donut shop. If it is that critical for this guy to have his steed as close as possible at every moment, what is he doing getting off of it to go post a letter? Couldn’t he go to one of those drive by drop boxes?

The “alert Guardian reader,” the Guardian, and the commenters make some very excellent and valid points.

Above all, I believe our Law Enforcers must understand that if they violate the laws they enforce upon us “commoners,” it will foster resentment, at the very least.

(I’ve been riding on the Greenbelt in Garden City, and have pulled off to the side to allow a GC police car (!) to drive by in the other direction. Their explanation – they were “serving a warrant.” What? Isn’t there a street that will take them to the same address?)

What’s a paper?

Anyone know how to get the Eco-friendly Statesman to stop littering my lawn and neighborhood with those little add pages wrapped in plastic? I have never seen anyone read one, and most just get wet and look like crap after a few days. At least 10 on the lawn of each empty house too, so they must have some real observant folks tossing them out the window. The guy in my hood drives on the wrong side of the road and has a noisey muffler. This is littering Statesman! You should only deliver to people who want one.

Sure, great journalisim means that you always take what you get at face value and then distribute it to the masses. Your right editor, the police officer must have been using the Post Office for personal use based on the eye witness acount of Mr. Anonymous. Its obvious to me now.

EDITOR NOTE–The lesson here is that people get pissed when they see the guys on the white stallion doing things THEY can’t. It isn’t major news, but it does show how coppers do indeed live in a fish bowl and where and how they drive and park is viewed by one and all. You can damn the messenger, but without the GUARDIAN, Joe citizen’s voice is mostly ignored.

The editor may wish to take note. Apparently you’ve read the code since you listed it above but maybe you didn’t notice that it’s ok to temporarily park in a fire zone to unload passengers or merchandise. You see this happen all over the city, just like you said, with UPS, mail or other delivery trucks. Why is it such a big deal when a cop does it? I could care less if he parks in the fire lane for 30 seconds while he drops off a letter. I doubt many people have ever been ticketed for stopping 30 seconds in a fire lane anyway. I know I never have. Now if I was seeing people getting tickets for this left and right while the cops were getting away with it, that would be a different story . . .

Picayune,
The editor previously quoted Boise City Code 10-11-04C02 as the code the officer had broken. If you look at how 10-11-04C starts, it says “C. Park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually
engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers:”. Do you have direct knowledge of taxis being ticketed for stopping in a fire lane and what code was used? There is a difference between standing and parking, I don’t think the code covers standing and I would think these taxi drivers need to contact the city and complain if they’re being harassed.