East Texas

Trained volunteers help Tyler police by issuing citations to those violating disabled parking laws.

Tyler Police Public Information Officer Don Martin said the program has selected six new citizen-volunteers to participate in the Volunteer Disabled Parking Enforcement Program training, part of the Volunteers In Policing (VIPs), and will attend training this weekend.

Martin said the volunteers were screened to become authorized to attend the class.

“These specially designated volunteers will be taught what laws govern disabled parking and what laws authorize trained volunteers to write citations. They will also learn how to spot a violation, how to complete and properly document the violation, how to avoid confrontation and how to conduct themselves in court,” he said.

Martin said Tyler PD’s VIPs have been writing citations since 2000. In 2007 the volunteers wrote 634 citations for violations of disabled parking laws.

This class will bring the number of volunteers authorized to write these citations to 15.

Martin added that there are 60 volunteers who work with the department.