News Apr 17, 2008 at 4:00 am

Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop

Comments

1
Eric Bryant you are a #%$^. You should utilize your sense of superiority and new found law education into defending people that actually need it. I think the officer has a right to at least grab a quick bite to eat. Obviously you are a new lawyer with no established client base and therefore have too much time on your hands.
2
He has the right to grab a bite to eat, but he does not have the right to violate the law.

In Oregon, the law states that a police officer is exempt from traffic and parking laws only when he or she is responding to an emergency or pursuing a person who is an actual or suspected violator of the law. See ORS 820.320. At other times, police officers must obey traffic and parking laws.

It was the police officer who exhibited a sense of superiority. I assure you that he was not trained to violate a law that specifically regulates where he may or may not park. It would have been very easy for the officer to order food at a different restaurant. There is no good-faith reason why an officer's choice of restaurant gives him or her a free pass to break an anti-corruption law and do it so publicly.
3
Eric Bryant, you’re a piece of crap lawyer that just like most lawyers
 go around stirring up trouble because “Oh, I know the Law”. Give me a break Eric, you’re telling us that you would rather have the cop park blocks away and walk to the restaurant then if there was an emergency have him run down the street back to his car to help someone and possibly delaying his response time. You’re putting people’s lives at risk; you’re just a pathetic ambulance chaser. Also it’s a No Parking Zone for a reason, for emergency equipment and personnel. I’m sure the restaurant doesn’t mind the cop parking in front of their business, so mind your own and get a life Eric. Also, on behave of the entire country I would like to thank you for becoming another sue happy, money hungry lawyer; we really need another one of you around. I hope some cop doesn’t come to your rescue some day because their getting their car out of valet parking.
4
Eric Bryant, you’re a piece of crap lawyer that just like most lawyers
 go around stirring up trouble because “Oh, I know the Law”. Give me a break Eric, you’re telling us that you would rather have the cop park blocks away and walk to the restaurant then if there was an emergency have him run down the street back to his car to help someone and possibly delaying his response time. You’re putting people’s lives at risk; you’re just a pathetic ambulance chaser. Also it’s a No Parking Zone for a reason, for emergency equipment and personnel. I’m sure the restaurant doesn’t mind the cop parking in front of their business, so mind your own and get a life Eric. Also, on behave of the entire country I would like to thank you for becoming another sue happy, money hungry lawyer; we really need another one of you around. I hope some cop doesn’t come to your rescue some day because their getting their car out of valet parking.
5
How DARE you question a cop?! Don't you remember 9/11? C'mon, Eric, just play along. Otherwise, the terrorists win. You're going to ruin our police state if you keep asking them to play by the same rules we do.

Believe me, I've gotten tickets for stupider stuff than this. No one was outraged about my time. Apparently, I serve no useful purpose in society?

Once I got a ticket for parking on the wrong side of the street. In front of my house. For an hour.

If Portland police are going to give people $150 tickets for speeding up before an entrance ramp or parking the wrong way on their street, they should, at the very least, follow the law that their employed to enforce.
7
the attorney is an idiot to say the least. or maybe just has no common sense. If Eric Bryant is trying to say he is as important as the cop he definitely idiot. Eric Bryant will handle cases that will take years to resovle. The officer may need to get to someplace where only minutes may depend on whether someone lives or dies. Thanks idiot Eric for trying to make the officer park further away then need be,,,,,the officer may have to respond to save one of my family members... but you right Eric he at least has to follow the law.. what if when you called for a cop no one came???
8
Beware Fireman your next,,, read this guys website. after that he will go after the paramedics... They should all have to park legally. So much for common sense that says they should be next to their life saving equipment.
9
Eric, very good work sir, I commend you. You are correct too. Thank you for confronting the officer, he was completely irresponsible. I retired as a State Trooper, and while working I always set a good example, and never embarrassed my department by parking illegally unless required by an emergency. Stensgaard should have set the example by parking correctly like all the rest of are required to do. There is a small percentage of arrogant cops like him. Please remember that many cops make the right choices. But more power to you for exposing incompetent lazy cops like Stensgaard.
10
I am not a lawyer nor do I like layers

But for those of you that think Mr. Bryant is a piece of crap. Then I will call each of you a nearsighted quibbling moron. The only thing I disagreed with Mr. Byrant is as follows. He did not need to pass the BAR to exercise his right as a sovereign citizen. As for you cowards to afraid ask a cop a question don’t even deserve to speak to this subject.

If our public servants are not kept in line even at the most minor of infraction then they will begin to feel that they are above the law. How many of you brain dead morons would know that if you were arrested, taken to the jail and booked, that your rights as prescribed by law have just been violated and that is true in every state.

Our country/government is such a mess because of cowards like you unwilling to stand up and exercise your rights. How can you exercise your right when you don’t even know what they are? Most people at best can name only 3. How many can you declare?

In the US Constitution alone, you have close to 1100 rights. READ the Laws in your state and get a backbone.

I commend you Mr. Byrant
11
Woooh Hooo finally justice is served...both way! To the comment that Eric Bryant is a dick this and that! You sir are extremely ignorant! The cop in this case was abusing his power and park his car when it wasn't an emergency. Just because he has his uniform on does not means that he can disregard the law that us citizens have to follow everyday! Fair deal! And btw, Sansai is a great restaurant, cheap and delicious sushi
12
Hi,
Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in traffic court"
-------------
Rider21
lawyer directory
13
Hi,
Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in traffic court"
-------------
Rider21
[url="http://www.legalx.net"]lawyer directory[/url]
14
I think a scene from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas sums this up perfectly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4M0DkAeexA…
15
I live in NYC. If my own city spent as much time and budgetary allotments enforcing the real trespassers of traffic laws, i.e. those who run red lights/stop signs and speed through residential neighborhoods rather than employing an entire task force to penalize parking violations, a lot less bikers and children would be killed by aggressive drivers. It is a serious concern and fear amongst the students I teach that they will be injured or killed by a rogue driver.

I applaud you, Eric Bryant, not for calling this officer to the mat, but for bringing some necessary attention to bullshit parking laws. If the cops don't have to abide by them then why are police departments awarded such a large amount of money to enforce them? Perhaps the fines upward of $540 will go towards the research necessary to alleviate real traffic concerns. It's a foul and befuddled system that protects the pavement but not the people who travel on it. Besides, to respect someone or an institution of someones does mean that one has to be completely submissive to their authority. Our entire system is designed to keep authority in check and you did nothing more than to perpetuate the values most red-blooded Americans ascribe to. You're a good citizen, my friend.
16
I like the fact that a citizen no matter what his/her profession is can issue a complaint against a public servant, cop or no. It is true that he could have picked a different restaurant, but I don't really think that's the point either. I'd like to know what the parking restriction was. Was it really that big of a deal?
I got a $750 parking in a handicap zone from a citizen sanctioned by the city. When I explained that the woman that I was driving, had the permit in her purse, and was inside the store, he just said "that's nice", and proceeded to write the ticket. When the lady came out of the store (Safeway)I showed her the ticket, and she wrote a letter to the judge, who would not accept it until the bail was paid. The fine now has earned penalties and is currently up to $920.
17
Thank you Eric! We need more citizens to pull their head out and hold PUBLIC SERVANTS accountable. Thank you for giving me the kick in the butt to do the same.
18
Thank you Eric! We need more citizens to pull their head out and hold PUBLIC SERVANTS accountable. Thank you for giving me the kick in the butt to do the same.
19
This is awesome. Cops love to drive past open spots only to park on the sidewalk, I don't get it. When they're not pursuing a criminal, they should have to obey the law just like everyone else, so I love this move.
20
If the cop was on police business then leave him alone, but he was not, so he deserves a ticket. the officer can pack a lunch like the rest of us, if parking is a problem for him.

We all have to follow the law! In Victoria, B.C. Canada, shop owners were complaining that trucks who were unloading to their shops were getting parking tickets for parking outside the unloading zones, the problem, police cars parked in the unloading zone!

The police in question go to the local Starbucks, eliminating parking for the businesses unloading area. Shop owners don't want to complain, because they depend on the police when trouble arises.

It's not the police who ticket the vehicles, t's City Hall parking enforcement. the business then has to pay for the tickets who deliver goods to them.
21
Police must set the example. I am thankful they are here and would help them in any way at any time. I also want them to be the change they want to see in the public they protect. I believe the officer should not get ticketed but should be willing to admit to making an honest mistake when asked about it by a citizen.
22
Just another example of a civil servant using his misplaced sense of entitlement to break the law. No big deal.
23
I understand some of the frustrations regarding supposed traffic violations committed by our law enforcement officers and I will not argue one way or the other. The problem is that the present parking laws are antiquated and needed to be amended. There should be a proviso that permits a cop to attend to his own private business (getting a snack is one of them) provided that this is done within a reasonable period of 5 to 10 minutes (max.) . I believe that policemen are by and large great public servants and deserve some exception rules. It is a matter of practicality and deference. I also know that some of them are a disgrace to their uniforms but they are a very small minority. We should not engage ourselves in closed minded sophistry. Amending the parking regulations would definitely settle this issue once and for all. Please check ; JIMMY JUSTICE videos which show cops that are breaking parking laws...they are very funny and entertaining. I think that cops should not be forced to break the law to grab a sandwich or go to the pharmacy if they can do it within 5 to 10 minutes max..
24
eric bryant, you are soooo awesome. i see cops parading around behind their badges a lot, yet nobody questions it. the cops here get away with too much because, like murder, and yet they get to keep on truckin. i have to drive around the block two or three times just like everyone else, i believe the police should do the same. they're supposed to protect us when we need it, otherwise i want them to be just as inconvenienced as i am. i am just relieved the cop didn't pull a gun at you and shoot you for questioning him. i guess cops dont kill everyone they see.
25
No cop is above the law. If he was not responding to an emergency or pursuing a person who is an actual or suspected violator of the law then he must obey the law. If a regular person were to have done the same thing a cop would have issued a ticket. We should have no mercy to cops breaking the law they know beter..
26
I agree with Eric. As much as I understand that the cop may have needed to get to his car quickly, there are other people who may need to "grab a bite to eat quickly" and are not allowed to park in a no parking zone directly in front of a restaurant. I despise when I see cops use their power inappropriately to run a red light or stop sign, or park where ever they please.
27
That cop is fucking giant piece of shit like all cops abusing power. If he is actually too lazy too park legally and walk around the corner then he should take off his badge. His analogy about having to park around the corner during an emergency proves he understands his power in times of need and was abusing it to get a sandwich. That fuck deserves twice the fine of an average citizen because he should have a better understanding of the law than an average citizen. Police officers are not higher members of society they are slime that get to live above the law and abuse their power. I am happy someone took the time to do the cops job for him while he watched television and got lunch on tax payers dollars.
28
Wow can’t wait for you to need help and have to wait because they had to park a few blocks away.

Spirit of the law versus letter of the law; your green and it shows .

I should ticket you for stupidity.
29
They put there lives on the line everyday do you do that?
30
hey how to report cops?
here in downtown LA. those cops park their cars illegally all the time when they're eating Yoshinoya or getting coffee or whatever.
It's so annoying. and they give us tickets like crazy when we forget to move our cars like 5 mins late during street cleaning.
This is just unfair.
Plus the crime rate in downtown LA obviously tells that the cops are not doing their job. So let justice be served. Anyone who knows how to get those dumb cops in trouble please post the information everywhere.
31
By Federal law it is not the responsibility of the police to protect your rights and life, It is yours. Police are a service not a crutch and certainly not a way for people to abuse the system. That being said it is against the law for them to abuse the system and use their assumed authority to do illegal things, Side note a law enforcement officers authority is only derived from the laws in which the state he is a licensed enforcement officer. Meaning he has no authority unless in the enforcement of the law. If you did nothing illegal he has no authority. So when an officer does something like park in an illegal zone he is violating the law and in most states law enforcement officers can get in even more trouble for violating the law then a citizen due to their position in society. As for everyone that is bringing up the argument about what if an emergency happend and you would rather him be able to get to his car faster instead of running down the street. This is why we have full departments of officers, he isn't the only one to respond. Also in most cases officers radio in that they are taking a lunch as they are allowed by state law so that the dispatch can radio someone else in case of emergency. It is the duty of every citizen in this country to take the law into their own hands. Protect your life it's your responsibility not an officers, Point out the wrong doers, Keep the law enforcement agencies in check, this is why we have the type of government we do in this country, For the people/By the people/Of the people. No one person has any more rights above anyone else. It is everyones responsibility to make this a better and safe place. Everyone is accountable

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