The Atlanta Police Department has launched an internal investigation to determine if police officers are using their badges to get prime parking.
Channel 2 Actions News obtained cell phone video from a motorist who alleges he was told by someone with a police badge to move his illegally parked car. When he did so, the officers illegally parked vehicles in the same location and went into a restaurant to get lunch, the motorist, identified only as "Oscar," said.
"She was actually writing tickets and once she got everyone else moved they parked and went in and got something to go," Oscar told Channel 2 reporter Tony Thomas.
“They said ‘yeah we work for the city, these are city cars and we can do that,’” Oscar said. “You think they were just moving people so they could park, that's exactly what they were doing, so they could park.”
The video shows a Park Atlanta vehicle and a government unmarked car parked on Peachtree Center Avenue just north of International in downtown Atlanta. One officer was in plain clothes, the person driving the Park Atlanta vehicle was in an APD uniform. The incident occurred in mid-June, said Thomas.
“Later on I saw her going around giving tickets again to people who parked there,” Oscar said.
The Office of Professional Standards now has a copy of the video, according to Channel 2.
About the Author
