Crime commission recommends consulting police chief on shifting parking enforcement to increase uniformed presence

The Portsmouth Crime and Gun Violence Prevention Commission debated a proposal to move parking‑enforcement functions out of the parking authority and under the police department to create a more visible, uniformed presence in neighborhoods with higher violent‑crime rates.

Chair (unnamed) framed the idea as consistent with the commission’s advisory charter and said that other cities use a tiered enforcement model. “They wear a French blue shirt versus a dark blue shirt, and they … serve that visual deterrent,” the chair said, describing how special conservators of the peace can perform limited law‑enforcement support duties such as traffic control and abandoned‑vehicle processing while being visually identifiable.

Commissioners raised operational and equity concerns. One commissioner warned that contracting tow companies in the past led to perceived predatory towing of resident vehicles, and others noted the city’s limited police staffing and the need to ask Chief Jenkinson about capacity. The chair and multiple commissioners agreed to invite the chief to the commission’s next meeting to discuss feasibility before making a formal recommendation to city council.

The group did not take a final vote to send a recommendation to council during the meeting but moved to consult with the chief and to return with more information. Commissioners also suggested examining the scope of special‑conservator duties, contracting oversight and safeguards to avoid harming residents who depend on on‑site vehicles.

The commission scheduled the police‑chief briefing for the January meeting and asked staff to prepare more detail on operational impacts, potential towing arrangements and any required budget shifts before asking city council to act.