POCOMOKE CITY, Md. - Pocomoke police say the city is working toward more consistent parking enforcement, with a focus on accessible spaces, fire lanes and other violations that officials say can create safety and access issues.
Chief Arthur Hancock told WBOC the city has been updating its parking ordinance so it better aligns with the citations officers would use. He said the goal is to make enforcement fairer and more consistent across city limits.
“We had to update them before we could get to the point where we could do consistent and fair parking enforcement,” Hancock said.
City officials recently announced enhanced enforcement of parking regulations would begin May 1. But Hancock said the process may take a little more time as the city works to make sure the ordinance and municipal citation system match up.
“I personally think it’s going to take a little bit more time to just make sure that the municipal citation and the city ordinance go hand in hand,” Hancock said.
Hancock said some of the biggest long-term issues have been in business areas, particularly involving accessible parking and fire lanes. In the past, he said, officers often had to issue state citations rather than municipal ones.
He said that has been an ongoing concern over the years.
“It’s been an ongoing thing,” Hancock said. “In the past we would have to issue a state citation, rather than a municipal citation.”
Hancock also pointed to problems in neighborhood areas, where he said narrow one-way streets and vehicles parked on sidewalks can create challenges. He said the city has invested in sidewalk repairs and replacements, and improperly parked vehicles can add to that wear and damage.
“We’ve had a big problem with vehicles parking on the sidewalks,” Hancock said. “Some sidewalks here are completely torn up. I’m not saying it’s from that, but I’m saying it’s definitely contributed to it.”
He said illegal parking can also create broader public safety concerns, especially when vehicles block fire lanes, park too close to hydrants or take up accessible spaces.
“A lot of big risk,” Hancock said. “You don’t want somebody parking in a handicapped spot that doesn’t have their rights to do that. Parking in a fire zone, a fire lane, parking near fire hydrant, that can prevent other first responders from doing their job accordingly.”
Some people WBOC spoke with said tighter enforcement on already narrow streets could be difficult in some parts of town. But others supported the city’s push, especially when it comes to accessible parking.
Johnnie Kersey, who said she now relies on those spaces after being injured, said it can be frustrating to arrive at a business and find accessible spots taken by people who do not need them.
“Glad that they’re doing this,” Kersey said.
Hancock said the city’s message for now is about education and compliance, with the public announcement meant to give drivers advance notice before enforcement ramps up.