What About Parking – Why are the parking patrollers taking pictures of parked cars?

Why are the parking attendants taking pictures of parked cars?

Our parking patrollers use an app on their phones for parking enforcement.  They print tickets with a Bluetooth ticket printer. The App uses Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) to capture the license plate numbers.

To initiate the ALPR feature, they take a picture of the vehicle’s license plate.  Once the plate number is confirmed, it is run through the ParkMoble database of paid parking sessions.  The patroller then gets a notification letting them know whether or not the plate number is paid in that zone, via the ParkMobile App.  If paid, they move on to the next vehicle.

If the plate does not show as ‘paid’ and a ticket is appropriate, the patroller will take additional photos that illustrate the infraction being cited.  This often requires multiple photos and includes a photo showing that the ticket was placed under the vehicle’s windshield wiper.  The photos can be viewed at the ticket payment website, prior to a payment being made or an appeal being submitted.  If the ticket is contested (appealed), the photos are provided to the City Attorney’s office as part of the appeals process.  If the citation is not questioned or challenged, the photos are not used.

Examples:

Wrong Direction