Parking Enforcement Jobs

If you live in a big city or near the campus of a major college or university and you're a stickler for enforcing rules, a career in parking enforcement may be a good choice for you. People interested in law enforcement or criminal justice jobs may also be interested in this type of work as entry-level job in parking enforcement often leads to other types of law enforcement jobs.
 
Approximately 9,530 people held a parking law enforcement job in 2008. Most of these positions were at colleges, universities, professional schools and junior colleges. Massachusetts has the highest concentration of parking enforcement officers, followed by New Hampshire, California, West Virginia and Utah.

Job Description

Parking law enforcement officers typically patrol a specific location, such as a certain section of the city or a parking lot. NYC parking tickets, for example, can only be issued by an NYC parking official. Officials are often responsible for winding parking meter clocks and collect coins deposited in meters. Their primary responsibility is to identify vehicles parked illegally -- at an expired parking meter, for example, or in a no-parking zone. They write and issue parking tickets to the violators.

Salary Guide

Salaries vary widely for this position. The recent median annual salary for parking enforcement officials is $32,390, or $15.57 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned $20,510, while the highest 10 percent brought home over $50,000 a year. The states that pay the highest for these positions are:
  • California
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Tennessee
  • Washington.
 
Each state's average salary for parking enforcement officers is more than $37,000 a year.

Education, Training and Work Experience

A high-school diploma is required to work in parking enforcement. Education and training for other jobs in criminal justice, such as a degree in the field, may give you a competitive edge over other applicants. Training is on-the-job and usually involves working side-by-side with an experienced parking official to learn the ropes.
 
Some municipalities require at least a two-year degree or previous enforcement experience. In addition, the following traits and skills are valuable in this position:
  • ability to stand for the length of an entire shift
  • experience administering first aid
  • fluency in English (enough to be able to read written rules and write clear reports)
  • past supervisory experience with a proven record of being able to peacefully resolve conflicts.
 
For obvious reasons, preference is often given to individuals with a clean driving record.

Career Advancement

A job in parking enforcement is often a stepping stone to other law enforcement jobs, including the following:
  • campus law enforcement
  • corrections officer
  • deputy sheriff
  • dispatcher
  • federal agent
  • police chief
  • police officer
  • probation or parole officer
  • security officer
  • state trooper.
 
Those who choose to stay in parking enforcement may supervise others or train new hires.

Related Associations and Groups

Many groups and associations exist for people interested in a career in parking enforcement, including:
  • American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens
  • Fraternal Order of Police
  • Law and Society Association
  • Law Enforcement Alliance of America
  • National Traffic Enforcement Association.
 
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