University Park Cops Park By Their Own Rules, Kinda
Yesterday, Politically Inclined posted the above photo of a UP cop, parking in front of Swiss Cleaners on Mockingbird, accompanied by this, from writer Jessica Huseman:
I spotted this sad parking job in the parking lot of the SMU bookstore on Mockingbird while at lunch. Looks like this cop really needed to pick up his laundry.
UP Police Chief Gary Adams, always one to defend his troops on this blog and others, jumped to his officers’ defense in the comments:
I have looked into this matter and the officers were out on call dealing with a mental patient who was exposing himself and urinating on the sidewalk. Since this is the case, I see no need to take any action against the officer who parked this vehicle. Had the officer been out on personal business, i.e., eating lunch, or even on a regular call that involved only taking a report from a retail merchant or citizen I can assure you I would more concerned about the manner in which this police vehicle was parked.
The moral of this story? Chief Adams is watching. Always watching.
I am slightly in shock to see this in the park cities news because I was actually sitting at a table in front of Roly Poly with my young child yesterday when this happened. This man they arrested was a black man that was at least 6’1 and weighed way over 300 lbs and he kept asking people for money. Every time they said no to him he would scream F you at them. It was terrifying! Then all of a sudden this man started exposing himself and urinating all over the sidewalk in front of everyone. I was in shock! Thank goodness the Officers showed up! As far as I am concerned these Officers could park anywhere in this parking lot and take up 5 spaces if they needed to! This man was being so belligerent to the Officers and was screaming and cursing. I was never so glad to see Officers arrest somebody! I was a little bit nervous this man was going to get into a fight with the officers so I am glad several officers showed up. I wish everyone appreciated our Officers as much as I do.
Bradford is the new Merritt!
I can dig it.
I am glad you got Chief Adams take on this. I can understand the parking job when the officer was quickly responding in the line of duty.
Thanks!
What happened to the “old” Merritt?
Sounds like the UP police did a good job.
What I don’t care for, police-parking-wise, is the policeman (HP, I think) who parks his car so as to block the entire entrance to Mockingbird Parkway (from Mockingbird) on school mornings. Trying to catch school-zone speeders is good thing, of course, but is it really necessary to block an entire street entrance? It’s not a huge deal, but, still . . . .
I’d be interested to hear Chief Adams’ (or his HP counterpart’s) thoughts on that. Props to Chief Adams for reading and responding to concerns on this blog.
Betsy, was his color important enough to call out?
yeah, if it was a whitey waving his thing around it wouldn’t have been so scary!
@ Grumpy old Merkin – Betsy was painting a picture. His age? Ageist! His weight? Weightist! If he had been a white man in a predominantly black neighborhood, it would be helpful in describing him to refer to him as “white.” Have you ever described the only black person in a room crowded with white people as “the guy with the dark hair” or “the guy with the blue shirt?” I’m sure you have, and it makes no sense. The man was black. He knows it, we know it, no problem!
Jessica,
The next time you see a vehicle like that, please assume that the police are out doing there job. Alot more in this world to worry about than this. Police are out just trying to do there job and then have all this to deal with. Be thankful your in a city with a 2-3 min. police response time on ALL calls. Try that in Dallas.
bm-
there job…… their job….
your in a city…… you’re in a city….
Please, you are making my brain hurt.
Where is Merritt?
As far as I’m concerned, any UP and/or HP officer can park any way they please. They are outstanding and I appreciate the great job done in the Park Cities.
By the way, i’m sure the commenter about the school zone had good meaning, but the reality is…some folks do not know how to drive in school zones. THANK YOU HP officer.
Chief Vinson and his officers are outstanding and do a fantastic job. They love what they do so….Beware because they will catch the bad folks.
Merritt is sorely missed, imo. No offense to the rest of the folks here, but it’s been dull as week old dishwater since her departure 99% of the time.
kmom,
Agreed. So where did she go?
So, once again you take a simple situation like someone working a traffic signal in front of a church and it becomes newsworthy. Come on now!
In the context of Merritt, just take a look at the number of comments in various posts. Most have none. Need some spice but not too much if you have skeletons in your closet.
Merritt would have jabbed the UP police chief for spending his work time reading and responding to posts on this blog. Whats up with that anyway?
And now a few words from Steve Mace……
Anyone read the comments on the original site (Politically Inclined I think)? First the author rags on our PD without knowing anything other than a photo, and then after a great explanation by Chief Adams (which the author then actually had the nerve to doubt), they get comments from people criticizing the Chief for providing the info! In the Park Cities, you can’t win for losing!
Add me, by the way, to the list of people who wonder what happened to Merrit. The question has been asked, but nobody has answered!
I guess I’ll never know what happened to Merritt. Huh.
I’ve seen her out and about in the Park Cities with her family. I also noticed she has been doing recaps on Frontburner, most recently in November: http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2011/11/a-list-dallas-episode-4-recap-103111/
But this blog isn’t as lively without her and no one is covering the HPMS carpool line.