Rochester, NY Police Department and City Parking Enforcement Show Up in Full Force to Ticket Elementary School Children’s Family Members at Track Meet!

Rochester, NY Police cruiser E-67 and City Parking Enforcementparked on same side of street, as children’s family membersthey ticketed. Photo by Davy V.

 

By Davy V.

At least a half a dozen family members of Rochester elementary school children attending the annual Nick Zona Track Meet at East High School on Thursday May 16th, walked back to their cars to find  parking tickets under their windshield wipers.

Now, it would be hypocritical of me to in any way, shape or form condone parking illegally, especially since I regularly expose law enforcement officials parked illegally.

However, it was more the show of force, on behalf of Rochester Police officers who obviously had nothing better to do in a city riddled with real crime, than to ticket cars of family members attending their children’s field day, that just rubs me the wrong way.

The event, is named after the late Nick Zona, the former Health and Physical Education Director for the City School District.

The track meet helps students learn the importance of hard work, cooperation, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Approximately 25-30 cars parked on Culver Rd., right in front of the East High School grandstand, and family members were already sitting down in the stands, when an announcement came over the PA system telling people that they had to move their vehicles, and find parking elsewhere.

Rochester, NY Police officer and parking enforcement employee harassing elementary school children’s family members.Photo by Davy V.

 

This caused dozens of people to hurry and move their vehicles, and rush back in order not to miss their children’s participation in the track meet.

A woman at Jeffrey Ellis Carl Cabinetmakers, located on the corner of Culver Rd. and Leighton Ave., and directly across the street from the East High School bleacher stands, called 911 to report that several vehicles were parked on the wrong side of Leighton Ave.

Interestingly enough, the photo at the top right, shows the classic example of ‘Do as I say, not as I do’, a Rochester, NY Police cruiser, and a City of Rochester, NY Parking Enforcement vehicle can be seen parked on the same side of the street as the cars they ticketed!

This could all have been avoided, if the Rochester City School District had planned in advance, to accommodate family members, being able to park their vehicles, without being ticketed.

Rochester, NY Police officer in cruiser E-51has nothing better to do, than to harass family membersattending children’s track meet.Photo by Davy V.

 

“This is the first time in four years that I have gotten this information, this is supposed to be a positive event”, said Carlos Cotto, Rochester City School District executive director of health, physical education, and athletics.

“There should have been announcements before people parked, so they wouldn’t have had to move their cars after they had already settled in”, Cotto said to me, before adding, “I put a call in to Chief Sheppard, because he has always been supportive of this event.”

“Supportive”?

How sad that the Rochester, NY Police department, would show up in force like they did, to an event named in honor of a School district employee, and all for parking violations.

 

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Davy V.

Davy V. is a Cuban-American Filmmaker, Video Producer, Photographer and Freelance Writer, best known for using the power of video and film to expose Police Brutality, Corruption and Misconduct. The son of the late Mario Vara, a community activist who for years fought against Police Brutality and Misconduct in Rochester, New York, Davy V. got his start in Television and Video by tagging along and working camera for his father's cable access television show, "La Voz Del Pueblo" (The Voice of The People). Davy V. later went on to produce and host "KEEP IT ON THE REEL", a cable access TV show with a mix of Hip Hop as well as issues affecting African-Americans and Latinos in Rochester, NY, such as Police Brutality and Misconduct. Some guests on the show included Treach, KayGee and Vinnie of Naughty by Nature, Method Man, Funkdoobiest, Da Youngstas, and the Rottin' Razkals. Davy V. won the U.S. ACM Video Festival Award for his Documentary, "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" about the Rochester, New York Police Department and their long history of misconduct, corruption and unnecessary killings of unarmed innocent citizens. "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" and Davy V.'s follow up, "R.P.D.: Badges of DISHONOR, CORRUPTION and MURDER!" were both screened at the National Hip Hop Political Convention at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. Davy V.'s work has been featured in publications such as THE SOURCE Hip Hop Magazine, URBAN AMERICA Magazine, The Ave. Magazine, Insider Magazine, La Voz Newspaper, Minority Reporter Newspaper, CNY LATINO Newspaper, DOWN Magazine, as well as on television news stations, and programs such as CNN and Inside Edition. In addition to his freelance writing, Davy V. also writes a monthly Op/Ed Column for LA VOZ Magazine and Minority Reporter Newspaper. In June 2012, Davy V. joined Cop Block as a regular contributor.