Editor’s note: ‘Dispatches from the Academy’ is an ongoing series relating Review reporter Luciano Marano’s experiences as a member of the latest Bainbridge Island Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy class. Anyone can apply to attend the periodic program, which gives participants a hands-on look at the function and duties of the BIPD and other local, related agencies. Call 206-842-5211 or email policedept@bainbridgewa.gov for more info about the next academy.
Gather ‘round, kiddies, and remember Week Three of the BIPD’s Citizen’s Police Academy was brought to you by the letter P, as in “P is for parking.”
Or, as in “P is for post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Of course as anyone who has tried to find a spot in downtown Winslow during lunch time on any given weekday knows the two subjects are not always mutually exclusive on Bainbridge Island (cue lame joke cymbal roll). Yes, indeed, “Parking has always been a problem,” BIPD Parking Enforcement Officer Ken Lundgren said. “And it’s getting worse downtown.”
Murder, fortunately, much less so — more on that below.
(Read Luciano’s previous profile of BI’s “Prince of Parking” here)
The demographics of the drivers seeking to utilize spaces downtown are only expanding: Winslow residents, other islanders, visitors from Kitsap, visitors from Seattle and further afield and people looking to park and walk onto the ferry being the broadest groups. But those precious downtown spots are also regularly taken by downtown business employees and delivery, construction and repair service providers too. Restrictions are imperative.
It can be a lot to track, and Lundgren does it all by his lonesome. You’ve probably seen him out there making the rounds, rain or shine (but not in the snow, he said he won’t ticket if you can’t see the lines clearly). He also typically won’t ticket out-of-state cars because it’s frankly hard to get guests from so far away to actually pay up and it’s also just not very friendly, he said.
Friendly, it seems, is the order of the day in the parking division.
Lundgren said he considers it a big part of his job to ensure proper turnover in the limited number of spaces downtown so as to best serve the businesses in Winslow — not to be mean. In one of his most critical areas of responsibility, the spaces along Winslow Way in front of the Harbor Square buildings (just across from the ferry parking lot), Lundgren said two businesses have failed, a restaurant and an organic food shop, and both owners cited unavailable parking for customers as a major contributing factor.
Still, he’s hoping proper signage and friendly warnings do the trick. Lundgren doesn’t like to give tickets.
“I give out warning notices as much as I give out tickets,” he said. “If a person returns to their vehicle before I’ve pressed the ‘print’ button on the handheld, they just get by with a warning. I allow a 15-minute grace period after the time that the vehicle is in violation of the timed parking; I try to go a reasonable length to give grace.”
Every ticket is an “education opportunity,” Lundgren chuckled; the chance to “correct behavior.”
By the numbers, his courteous “talk it out” strategy seems to work. Compliance is up and ticket issuance is down. Lundgren typically gives four to six tickets a day when he’s on the street (that’s roughly one for every mile he walks in a shift). In 2016 he gave an average of five tickets a day. In 2015, 6.2. In 2014, 6.7.
The year which saw him issue the most tickets in his 12 years on the job remains 2010, when he gave out 3,829.
Interestingly enough, about 40 percent of the tickets issued on BI go to drivers who have received at least one previous ticket. A parking ticket with no extenuating circumstances (in a handicapped spot, fire lane, etc.) will run you about $50.
Oh, and by the way, if your electric car is parked ‘neath the green sign at the charging station, it does have to be plugged in. There seems to be some confusion.
But seriously folks …
The second speaker of the night was Dr. Ted Rosenbaum. A retired psychologist, he works often with the BIPD and other first responder agencies in the region to assist with pre-hiring suitability screenings and critical incident stress management.
Basically, he’s there when you get the job and he’s there when you maybe question why you wanted the job.
In dealing with aspiring police officers, Rosenbaum said there is “no gold standard.” Instead, he administers two primary tests and then conducts a lengthy interview to assess a candidate’s strengths and proclivities so that he can advise those who actually do the hiring as to where somebody might fit best in the department. It’s not his job to rule anybody out, he said, but merely to assess and report.
The tests he uses are the California Psychology Inventory 434, and another exam similar to the famous Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI).
Rosenbaum also leads the post critical incident stress management process, dealing with police officers and firefighters after particularly violent or intense interactions. These are, obviously, not frequent on BI, but they do occur.
The professional mantra, Rosenbaum said, is to remind those involved that it is the experience that is abnormal. Being sad, angry and confused is totally fine. I can relate. I remember telling myself the same thing as I left the theater after seeing “La La Land,” and, for real, will somebody please tell me what all the fuss is about? Please? Somebody?
It was at about that time that things were sufficiently heavy, ladies and gentlemen, so that I was ready to call it a night. Face it, there’s just no fun way to talk about critical incidents — that’s official jargon for death, you know? That’s what that means — and I found myself more eagerly looking forward to the next installment on the calendar. Both topics on tap gave me a bit of hope: “Patrol Procedures” with Officer Mike Tovar and “Crime Scenes” with Detective Erik Peffer.
I was dusting off my magnifying glass when I realized that since I can’t grow much of a beard I’ll be forced to don my shades and be more Horatio Caine and less Gil Grissom. Looks like next week’s class will be brought to you by the letter D, as in “dramatic sunglasses removal.”
Cue wailing intro music (The Who, natch) and begin credits scroll. Welcome to “C.S.I. Bainbridge,” where tough talking techs tackle curious capers like “Who painted those boxes orange downtown?” and “Who’s putting those tiny pirate flags in planter boxes all over Winslow?”
Seriously, does anybody know?
(Read Part II — Sip sip, bang bang: Bainbridge loves drugs, guns mre than you’d think here)
(Read Part I — BI’s top cop talks shop with aspiring citizen grads here)
