Suffolk sheriff: Stepping up handicapped parking enforcement

Holiday shoppers should take to heart a couple of good reasons to resist the temptation to inappropriately pull into a handicapped parking spot.

A key reason is that it’s just not neighborly — or in the holiday spirit. Another is that, already, enforcement efforts are being stepped up to crack down on those without proper permits who violate the rules, said Vincent F. DeMarco, Suffolk County sheriff.

“You may be in a hurry to get your shopping done, but if you park in a handicapped parking spot and you are not disabled, you could face a stiff fine,” he said Friday in a statement.

What’s more, your fellow shoppers are being invited to report any such Grinch-like behavior — anonymously — by sending the following to the sheriff’s office: date and time of the incident, exact location, with photos also helpful, the statement said.

Email to: SheriffTips@suffolkcountyny.gov. You can also email by way of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.