“We would like to welcome Chuck Foster to the HPD family,” the Herndon Police Department Facebook page posted in a caption for this photo on Oct. 11. “Chuck is joining us as our parking enforcement officer. He will be handling parking violations and abandoned vehicles within the town of Herndon.” Photo courtesy the town of Herndon
The Herndon Town Council voted to equip the Herndon Police Department with technology to enforce parking laws in the town during its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
In a unanimous vote, the council approved the purchase of parking enforcement equipment from Complus Data Innovation, Inc. The equipment will be used by the police department’s newly-approved, part-time parking enforcement officer who was hired on Oct. 3. He will work for the department for 30 hours a week.
“Nothing is changing,” Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard said. “All we’re doing is ticketing [for laws and parking rules that are] there now and will enforce like we always have.”
“[The new system and equipment] will cut down on staff time and make parking enforcement more efficient,” she added. “It’s nothing but a ticketing management system.”
Town staff members said they would be letting businesses know that enforcement would be improving now that a dedicated position was filled.
“We will notify downtown businesses that enforcement is impending … for a concentrated effort,” Town Manager Bill Ashton said during the meeting.
Some residents were concerned about the move to aggressively pursue parking tickets.
“I know it’s going to be very difficult being a landlord downtown … and we’re going to experience a lot of things, a lot of pet peeves, a lot of habits to be broken,” Steve Mitchell, a land developer and owner in the town, said during the meeting. “I’m fully supportive of what we’re doing, but I want consistency. It has to be consistent. I don’t want to end up like Reston Town Center. I don’t think any of us do.