Oceanside CA— The Oceanside Police Department received a number of citizen requests to increase Handicapped Parking enforcement around shopping centers during the holiday season. From November 30th through December 28, 2017, the Oceanside Police Department’s motor officers conducted extra enforcement throughout various shopping centers in the City of Oceanside.
The purpose of this increased enforcement was twofold; to make the public aware that it is illegal to park in Handicapped (Accessible) Parking spaces without the proper plate or placard, and secondly, to enforce the abuse of non-handicapped drivers misusing handicapped placards that do not belong to them.
During this time frame, the Oceanside Police Department’s motor unit issued a total of 25 parking citations for misuse of placard and illegally parking in a handicapped zone. It is important for citizens to know that each handicapped plate/placard is issued to a particular person and can only be used by that person. Non-handicapped drivers using a vehicle with a handicap plate/placard not issued to him/her cannot park in a designated handicapped space and are subject to a citation if they do so.
The Mission was to make sure accessible parking spaces were available to people who actually need them. Our department will continue to ensure that citizens utilizing handicapped parking spaces have the proper plates/placards and those plates/placards are assigned to them throughout the year.