DEA agent parking causes controversy
http://www.local8now.com/content/news/DEA-agent-parking-causes-controversy–371735291.html
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — People normally don’t park in handicap spaces or fire lanes without the proper identification.
That’s not the case for the parking lot at the Atrium Building.
“I’m just finally tired of it,” said Pete Herriford, Engineering Technician for ARC Automotive.
Herriford works in the building. He said officials with the Drug Enforcement Agency, who also work in the building, are the only ones who disregard parking laws.
“Confronting them doesn’t help, sending them letters doesn’t help, putting signs on their cars doesn’t help.”
According to Herriford, this issue has been going on for years. After multiple attempts to fix the problem, he called Knoxville Police, and still no luck. Local 8 News reached out to KPD, who said, “The “handicapped” spots Herriford refers to are not official handicapped spaces because they are not marked properly. They cannot be enforced due to the improper signage and markings.”
Herriford said, “It’s up to the building owners to enforce tow-aways, and they will not do it because they are afraid of the retribution.”
Herriford added that many of his colleagues are also outraged. He said they won’t speak out against the DEA out of fear for their livelihood.
“It’s just ridiculous,” said Herriford.
Neil Morgenstern, the Special Resident in Charge for the DEA, declined to speak on camera, but told Local 8 News his team parks in the fire zone to closely monitor expensive equipment in the cars.
Local 8 News also spoke to the Knoxville Fire Department, who said the DEA has no business parking in a fire zone, regardless of their reasoning.
“I mean, if we every did have a fire, they have the fire lane blocked, where a large firetruck couldn’t get through there,” said Herriford.
Herriford said he ultimately wants to speak up for those who don’t have a voice. As for the DEA, he said they need to abide by the law.
“I’m not wanting to sir up trouble,” said Herriford. “I just want them to obey the rules; that’s all.”
Filed under: General Problems
The DEA is liking all the power they have gained, at other’s expense I believe! When a government official breaks the law, don’t they deserve the harshest penalty since they work for the people…or at least they’re supposed to?!! Obviously the DEA is metastasizing into many areas, and I used that term purposely. Power corrupts, and they’re corrupting medical treatments for certain! And they are invasively hurting law abiding people’s lives with their antics! These parking areas are clearly marked even if they not enforceable, but that’s no different then their abuse of patients in pain, really! They need to step away from the shell and get back to their real jobs.
Is it stupidity…..or just plain arrogance??? I would suggest the latter.
DEA is ‘too big for its britches’.
Yet another case of “Do as I say, not as I do” … just disgusting
Okay, if they say the handicap parking isn’t legally enforceable, that’s one thing, but it takes a lot of balls to admit you park in s fire lane because you have expensive equipment in your car. A police officer would laugh in a citizen’s face, AS HE WROTE A BIG FAT TICKET AND LECTURED THE PERSON if they said they parked in a fire lane so THEY could make sure THEIR vehicle was safe. I guess it doesn’t matter as much if ordinary citizens are victims of crime.
More importantly, the lives of the people in the building just don’t matter in the event of a fire, at least not to the DEA. What if the fire truck can’t find another place to park? Fire lanes are their for a reason. Trucks must be able to park near the fire hydrant, but away from hazards that could ignite or even explode in the event of a fire. It wastes time that could be used to save lives or the building when fire fighters must park away from the building ans haul heavy hoses to the hydrant.