Un-Equaled Protection

On Friday morning, my wife and I were driving down Grand Street in Waterbury. As we passed by the Mayor’s Office, I caught the red light at the intersection of Leavenworth and Grand Streets and was forced to stop. When I looked out my window I noticed right in front of the Mayor’s Office, a police motorcycle had parked right in front of a fire hydrant.

I promptly Googled the Office of the Mayor’s phone number from my Blackberry and when a woman answered I asked her politely “Excuse me Miss, if I park in front of a fire hydrant would I get a ticket?”. She responded, “I think so”.

Having set the stage to prove my point I asked her “Then why is it that the police motorcycle parked in front of the fire hydrant outside the Mayor’s Office is any different than me?”

She responded “I don’t know, but let me transfer you to someone that does.”

After being transferred to the mayor’s public liaison staff, a gently speaking man named John was asked the same question, “Excuse me Sir, if I park in front of a fire hydrant would I get a ticket?” He chuckled a second or so as if it was some type of joke and responded “well I would certainly think so.” I then asked the same question to him, “Then why is it that the police motorcycle parked in front of the fire hydrant outside the Mayor’s Office any different than me?” He obviously looked out his window and responded “Oh my, I am not quite sure, but he is parked there isn’t he.”

I explained my argument of Equal Protection where as I should expect that a police officer should be held to the same standards as the rest of us, thus he should personally get a ticket for breaking the law. He agreed and promised to get back to me with a response.

The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws".

I for one have become agitated as the years pass when bureaucrats, government officials, and everyday pinhead public servants continue to live above the law while holding us accountable and liable for their foolishness.

Later in the day, I followed up with John from the mayor’s Office. He had some sort of “The Corporation counsel said Police can Park where they want when they want and can not be challenged” type of response. After asking him what State Statue allows that, he offered no response. Being the type of man that does not accept stupidity or card le blanc responses, I am now awaiting a call back from the Corporation Counsel and will expect a response Monday.

Perhaps this agitation I spoke of earlier is a by-product of a government that is out of touch with it’s people or a people that have some how been forgotten. Only time will tell.

What I do know for now is I will continue to ask those that make or enforce the laws [and foolishly spend our hard earned dollars as well] to live at the same standards as the rest of us.

Anything less is well unequaled protection.