Police Crack Down On Handicap Parking Space Misuse
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (CBS) -- Think twice before you park in a spot for the handicapped without the proper placard, because the Illinois Secretary of State Police are cracking down during the holidays.
WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller was at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg Sunday, cruising behind investigators.
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Illinois Secretary of State Police Investigator Theresa Kazimour was out asking drivers for their placards as they parked in handicap spaces.
"And the ID of the person the placard belongs to?" she asked one motorist.
"I work for his doctor, so he's in A-fib and everything else. So if I need to tell you all that..." said the passenger.
Kazmour assured her she just needed the placard and the ID to make sure they matched, which in that case they did.
"You know what? I'm glad you do this, to tell you the truth, because there's a lot of people that are not using them right," said the owner of the placard, Mr. Jenkins.
Kazmour and her partner did not end up writing any tickets Sunday at Woodfield. But since Black Friday, Secretary of State Police have issued 150 citations.
Separately in the city of Chicago, police have been cracking down on an epidemic of misuse of disability placards.
Anyone who shows a fake, stolen or altered placard will be fined $500 to $1,000, while the owner of any car in which there is an otherwise invalid placard – such as one that belongs to someone else – will be fined $200.
Both offenses can also lead to impoundment, which carries am additional penalty ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 and towing and storage costs.
Police also conducted a one-day crackdown on disability placard use downtown this past Thursday.
