Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=22101

From Apr 17 – Apr 23, 2008

Turning the Tables
Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop

BY MATT DAVIS

A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese
restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of
citizen-initiated parking violations.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st
and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and
park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.

Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did
not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to
the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked
Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in
a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house,
would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house
or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"

Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a
restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left.
Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.

"If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided
this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball
and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."

Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated
violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges
Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal
stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal
operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines
totaling $540.

Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in
traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up
trouble.

"Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of
the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.

Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public
information.

"Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further."

There's the heart of the matter; a newly minted lawyer looking to make a
name for himself.
Not a citizen concerned about a violation of the law.

It brings to mind the question; if it had been Joe Average parking there
instead of a cop, would 'Citizen Bryant' have even bothered?

(and yes, it IS wrong to park in a 'No Parking' zone..)


"Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDERERS" > wrote in
message .70...
>
>
>
> http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=22101
>
> From Apr 17 - Apr 23, 2008
>
> Turning the Tables
> Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
>
> BY MATT DAVIS
>
> A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese
> restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of
> citizen-initiated parking violations.
>
> Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st
> and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and
> park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.
>
> Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did
> not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to
> the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked
> Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in
> a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house,
> would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house
> or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"
>
> Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a
> restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left.
> Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
> Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.
>
> "If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided
> this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball
> and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."
>
> Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant-as a private citizen-has initiated
> violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges
> Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal
> stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal
> operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance-the violations carry fines
> totaling $540.
>
> Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in
> traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up
> trouble.
>
> "Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of
> the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.
>
> Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public
> information.

On Apr 22, 4:43*pm, "Felix Dzherzhinsky" >
wrote:
> "Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
> Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further."
>
> There's the heart of the matter; *a newly minted lawyer looking to make a
> name for himself.
> Not a citizen concerned about a violation of the law.
>
> It brings to mind the question; if it had been Joe Average parking there
> instead of a cop, would 'Citizen Bryant' have even bothered?
>
> (and yes, it IS wrong to park in a 'No Parking' zone..)

Probably not, because then the citizen would have received a ticket
from a meter maid eventually. Cops OTOH just don't get tickets (no
matter how much they deserve them.)

Poor ******* is gonna have to move soon though...

(groups trimmed to those actually pertinent, even though SADDAM
actually posted something of passing interest without its usual racist
or inflammatory commentary.)

nate

In article >, Felix Dzherzhinsky wrote:
>"Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
>Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further."
>
>There's the heart of the matter; a newly minted lawyer looking to make a
>name for himself. Not a citizen concerned about a violation of the law.

If he isn't doing this on principle it is the wrong way to make a name
for one's self. If where he lives is anything like Chicago &
C(r)ook county, IL (and other places nation wide) He's going to have to
move and never set foot in that town again regardless of the outcome.
He's going to find himself pulled over ALOT. He's going to find no
parking zones appearing in front of his house. He's going to be cited
for every ticky-tacky thing regarding his property. And that's just for
starters.

>It brings to mind the question; if it had been Joe Average parking there
>instead of a cop, would 'Citizen Bryant' have even bothered?

The cop would have ticketed Joe's car either on the way in or the way
out, it's part of a cop's performance objectives to keep his numbers up
and that's a nice free-bee. Bryant wouldn't have had to do anything.

On Apr 22, 9:53*am, "Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDERERS"
> wrote:
> http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...233&category=2....
>
> *From Apr 17 – Apr 23, 2008
>
> Turning the Tables
> Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
>
> BY MATT DAVIS
>
> A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese
> restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of
> citizen-initiated parking violations.
>
> Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st
> and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and
> park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.
>
> Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did
> not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to
> the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked
> Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in
> a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house,
> would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house
> or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"
>
> Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a
> restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left.
> Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
> Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.
>
> "If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided
> this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball
> and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."
>
> *Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated
> violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges
> Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal
> stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal
> operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines
> totaling $540.
>
> Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in
> traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up
> trouble.
>
> "Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of
> the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.
>
> Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public
> information.

I saw that in Saturday's paper, was going to post it but let it slide,
sorry now. The article I read said the officer claimed that as an
emergency vehicle, he needed instant access to it and therefore was
allowed to park in no parking zones even if not on a call.

No surprise there. What was surprising was how the article ended.

Someone, quoted by name and IIRC title, said Stensgaard would have to
argue that point before the judge. I think it was someone in the
cop's chain of command but may be mistaken.

The surprise was that the chief didnt' just tear up the ticket and is
letting 'nature take its course'.

My bet is that it will be ruled in Stensgaard's favor.

Harry K

On Apr 22, 10:23 pm, Harry K > wrote:
>
> My bet is that it will be ruled in Stensgaard's favor.

Looks like it might be a tough fight-

"Many news outlets have taken an interest in my court case against
Officer Stensgaard. This is a healthy public dialogue and I encourage
it.

It should be noted that the Portland Police Bureau has a policy that
officers shall obey all laws.

The law in Oregon states that emergency vehicles are exempt from
traffic laws only in certain circumstances. None of the exemptions
apply to this case because Officer Stensgaard was not responding to an
emergency or pursuing a violator of the law.

People have rightfully pointed out that officers need to be in a
position to quickly respond to emergencies at all times while they are
on duty. I support this position, but there were options available to
Officer Stensgaard that would have allowed him respond to an emergency
and obey the law.

The legislature has already established where police officers are
allowed to park. Until the law is changed, those in charge of
enforcing the law should not be breaking it and then misleading people
about what the law actually says.

The relevant laws are ORS 811.555(1), ORS 811.575(1)(a), and ORS
820.320(1)."
http://www.legalpdx.com/?PageId=comments
-----

- gpsman

Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDERERS wrote:

> http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=22101
>
> From Apr 17 – Apr 23, 2008
>
> Turning the Tables
> Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
>
> BY MATT DAVIS
>
> A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese
> restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of
> citizen-initiated parking violations.
>
> Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st
> and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and
> park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.
>
> Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did
> not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to
> the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked
> Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in
> a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house,
> would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house
> or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"
>
> Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a
> restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left.
> Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
> Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.
>
> "If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided
> this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball
> and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."
>
> Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated
> violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges
> Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal
> stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal
> operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines
> totaling $540.
>
> Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in
> traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up
> trouble.
>
> "Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of
> the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.
>
> Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public
> information.

small problem - when the police are on duty they can park any place they
want for any reason. Woooops! The Yuppie
wannabe forgot about that. Tells you the kind of lawyer that moron is going
to be - they infest the planet.

Brent P wrote:

>>
>>There's the heart of the matter; a newly minted lawyer looking to
>>make a name for himself. Not a citizen concerned about a violation
>>of the law.
>


The heart of the matter is an authority figure abusing power.




> If he isn't doing this on principle it is the wrong way to make a
> name for one's self. If where he lives is anything like Chicago &
> C(r)ook county, IL (and other places nation wide) He's going to have
> to move and never set foot in that town again regardless of the
> outcome. He's going to find himself pulled over ALOT. He's going to
> find no parking zones appearing in front of his house. He's going to
> be cited for every ticky-tacky thing regarding his property. And
> that's just for starters.
>


There are two things dirty cops fear -- the law and cameras. The last
thing a smart cop wants to do is to screw with a lawyer.




>>It brings to mind the question; if it had been Joe Average parking
>>there instead of a cop, would 'Citizen Bryant' have even bothered?
>
> The cop would have ticketed Joe's car either on the way in or the
> way out, it's part of a cop's performance objectives to keep his
> numbers up and that's a nice free-bee. Bryant wouldn't have had to
> do anything.



The government and their enforcement agents are frequently
out-of-control today. It's good to see someone willing to take the
bull by the horns and deal with it.

On Apr 22, 7:45*pm, gpsman > wrote:
> On Apr 22, 10:23 pm, Harry K > wrote:
>
>
>
> > My bet is that it will be ruled in Stensgaard's favor.
>
> Looks like it might be a tough fight-
>
> "Many news outlets have taken an interest in my court case against
> Officer Stensgaard. This is a healthy public dialogue and I encourage
> it.
>
> It should be noted that the Portland Police Bureau has a policy that
> officers shall obey all laws.
>
> The law in Oregon states that emergency vehicles are exempt from
> traffic laws only in certain circumstances. *None of the exemptions
> apply to this case because Officer Stensgaard was not responding to an
> emergency or pursuing a violator of the law.
>
> People have rightfully pointed out that officers need to be in a
> position to quickly respond to emergencies at all times while they are
> on duty. I support this position, but there were options available to
> Officer Stensgaard that would have allowed him respond to an emergency
> and obey the law.
>
> The legislature has already established where police officers are
> allowed to park. *Until the law is changed, those in charge of
> enforcing the law should not be breaking it and then misleading people
> about what the law actually says.
>
> The relevant laws are ORS 811.555(1), ORS 811.575(1)(a), and ORS
> 820.320(1)."http://www.legalpdx.com/?PageId=comments
> *-----
>
> - gpsman

I'm hoping that the case continues being reported in the press.
Should be interesting.

Harry K

Around 4/22/2008 11:48 PM, jerry warner wrote:

> Aunt Judy (AKA Pride of Diarrhea, AKA "Saddam") <http://tinyurl.com/65nqz> wrote:
>
>> http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=22101
>> <http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=753233&category=22101>
>>
>>
>> From Apr 17 – Apr 23, 2008
>>
>> Turning the Tables
>> Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
>>
>> BY MATT DAVIS
>>
>> A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese
>> restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of
>> citizen-initiated parking violations.
>>
>> Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st
>> and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and
>> park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.
>>
>> Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did
>> not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to
>> the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked
>> Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in
>> a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house,
>> would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house
>> or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"
>>
>> Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a
>> restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left.
>> Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the
>> Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.
>>
>> "If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided
>> this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball
>> and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."
>>
>> Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated
>> violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges
>> Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal
>> stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal
>> operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines
>> totaling $540.
>>
>> Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in
>> traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up
>> trouble.
>>
>> "Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of
>> the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.
>>
>> Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public
>> information.
>>
> small problem - when the police are on duty they can park any place
> they want for any reason.

No, they can't. That's a common misconception, the same misconception
that the officer in this story had.

> Woooops!

Well, you might want to read the article next time.



--
~/Garth |"I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie.
Almgren | I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave.
******* | And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant."
--H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)