Beverly Hills Busts Abusers of Handicapped Parking Passes

The abuse of disabled parking privileges has been an issue for a while in parking-challenged Beverly Hills.

City officials have now stepped in to stop it with the first of a likely series of sweeps against misusers, potentially generating extra revenues for the city. 

An April 24 raid by City of Beverly Hills parking enforcement officers targeted a several-block area just north of Wilshire Boulevard where many complaints of abuse had been reported, according to the Beverly Hills Traffic and Parking Commission.

According to a release, officers inspected 112 handicapped parking placards along the 200 and 300 blocks of Camden Drive, and on Dayton and Brighton ways between Roxbury and Camden drives.

They seized 21 placards, for being lost, stolen, expired or belonging to someone dead. Only 11 were surrendered voluntarily. Traffic and Parking Commission chair Alan Grushcow promised more sweeps.

“The sweep yielded an unusually high number of invalid placards, showing that this is a serious problem,” Grushcow said in a statement.

Not only do handicapped passes make finding a space easier. They also mean drivers do not pay to park, potentially a lot of lost revenue for the city.

The Beverly Hills Police Department dispatchers helped identify the holders of the placards. Members of the Traffic and Parking Commission observed.