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Resident alleges selective parking enforcement; council and police outline warning program
Summary
A Wheatland resident said police selectively enforce a state statute prohibiting parking against traffic flow; the chief explained a townwide warning program conducted by night-shift officers using a mapped rotation and stressed education before tickets or towing.
During public comment, resident Morton Tillman told the Wheatland City Council he drove several streets and counted roughly 20 to 21 vehicles parked against the flow of traffic and accused the police of selective enforcement.
Tillman said he documented the vehicles and asked whether enforcement is applied equally across town; he told council he had driven 10th to 15th streets and found many violations. "Does the Wheatland Police Department enforce all Wyoming statutes equally to all?" he asked.
Chief Brad responded that night‑shift officers are conducting a townwide program of warnings, using a map to identify neighborhoods for outreach. He said officers place warnings before issuing tickets and that the department has a process of warnings and education: "We're not just going out and towing vehicles because we can," Brad said. He added that towing is an option for vehicles parked in violation but that current practice emphasizes warnings and education.
Councilmembers and staff discussed safety concerns about parking against traffic flow — chiefly that drivers crossing the centerline to reenter traffic create crash or near‑miss risks — and noted limits imposed by state statute. The mayor encouraged residents to file complaints to prompt investigations of specific locations.
What’s next: Council asked staff to continue enforcement with mapped rotations and advised residents to report persistent violations for targeted follow-up.
Representative quote: "My night shift officers are the ones that are going out and enforcing and putting these warnings out on vehicles," the chief said.
