DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711230054

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS                      LENGTH:   37 lines

VOLUNTEERS TO HELP POLICE PATROL HANDICAP PARKING

People who illegally park in handicapped spaces when they think no one is looking better think again.

The police department plans to train 12 volunteers to patrol the city streets, looking for violators.

City Council last week gave the department $8,000 for the training, and also increased the maximum fine for a violation from $250 to $500. The minimum fine remains $100.

Police Chief Dennis Mook said he's confident he can find his dozen volunteers.

``We have a lot of people who are passionate about handicapped parking violations,'' Mook said.

The most common violators are relatives who borrow a handicapped family member's car with a handicapped sticker and think that entitles them to park in handicapped spaces, Mook said.

Although police don't always have the time to check on who is driving a car parked in a handicapped zone, Mook said he suspects volunteers will take the time.

``I can envision people waiting to see who comes out and gets in the car,'' he said.

The volunteers will undergo 20 hours of training to learn the law and how to testify in court - as well as how to safely avoid conflict. People don't always respond well to getting a ticket, Mook said.

The volunteers will wear uniforms and will work 20 hours per month.

The city now has three or four employees who look for parking violators, and police also write tickets if they have the time.

Mook said similar programs have been successful in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

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