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Authority: Cops abusing parking privileges in city; police want cars snow free

The Williamsport Parking Authority is trying to free up parking spaces for consumers and asking for assistance from Lycoming County officials.

“We see that abusing on-street parking hinders the convenient parking options for the consumer, hurts the retailer, and decreases the tax base for potential retailers moving to downtown,” said Dr. Anthony J. Cipolla, authority chairman.

When undercover district attorney agents park on the east side of Pine Street and south of Third Street, it takes up spots that could be used by others with county business, Cipolla said.

Meanwhile, the authority wastes manhours because even if it is an undercover officer the enforcement officers still must verify the license plate and place an orange envelope on the car — so as not to blow their cover, he said.

“They want the appearance of being a normal consumer … but they also want the privilege,” he said. “Maybe a better way is for them to just simply use one of the parking garages.”

Cipolla said the authority staff will approach the commissioners regarding the request.

Meanwhile, the authority also views there to be a problem for city police vehicles.

Its staff is exploring grant opportunities to purchase protective canopies to cover their police cruisers parked outside to the rear of City Hall, said William E. Nichols Jr., city finance director, following the authority discussion on the subject this week.

When there is a heavy snowstorm approaching, police officers at shift change will take the cars to a parking deck, transferring firearms, according to police sources.

“This includes marked and unmarked detectives cars,” he said.

When vehicles are exposed to extreme temperatures it is not good on the sensitive electronics, so the department favors any help to keep its fleet of vehicles out of inclement weather conditions, a department spokesman said.

“We’ve had preliminary discussions on this,” Mayor Gabriel J. Campana said.

It does not make any sense during an emergency for a police officer to have to scrape off ice or clear off snow from windshields on the car, Campana said.

Cipolla said the type of canopies he reviewed use electronic voltic technology.

He distributed a copy of the technology to the rest of the authority.

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