The department rolls out new software next month that allows residents to comply more readily with local parking ordinances, and streamlines desk work for officers.
By Matt Skoufalos | April 18, 2023
Oaklyn Police Vehicle. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
Oaklyn municipal statute prohibits parking on any street in the borough between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. daily.
Residents can request a temporary exemption by calling the borough police department non-emergency line, navigating a series of prompts, and leaving a voicemail with information about their vehicle and where it’s parked.
On the other end of that system, officers then listen back to those messages, transcribe and log them nightly, and keep that list on hand when they head out for traffic enforcement.
Soon, however, residents will be able to make such requests digitally, thanks to a new software application from Frontline Public Safety Solutions of Lombard, Illinois.
Oaklyn Police purchased a $500 annual license from Frontline to create the service, which has an anticipated activation date of May 1.
Users will be able to request an exemption to the overnight parking statute as many as seven times per month. They can select from a number of reasons when making their request, including construction work, visiting guests, a disabled vehicle, and more.
Importantly, they can also schedule overnight parking requests ahead of time, which the voicemail system cannot accommodate because it’s wiped daily.
Oaklyn Police Sgt. Colby Bryszewski said his department is aware that the overnight parking ordinance can be a source of frustration, especially for new residents and visitors. He hopes the webform will help cut back on tickets — violation of the overnight parking ordinance incurs a $31 fine — by encouraging compliance with the statute.
“There’s a lot of different factors that go into why we have overnight parking,” Bryszewski said. “Generally, it keeps the streets clear for our officers as they’re patrolling. It helps with emergency vehicles; our municipal streets are small.
“Enforcement isn’t something that makes us happy,” he said. “We don’t look forward to it at the end of the night. We’re hoping this kind of application will alleviate some of those times where somebody might have been at a business late at night and left their car on the street.”
Oaklyn Overnight Parking Webform. Credit: NJPEN.
The Frontline overnight parking software suite is already being used by police in Glassboro, Bryszewski said, and he believes other neighboring communities with overnight parking statutes may soon take advantage of the service.
Oaklynites who don’t have off-street parking available to them, or whose residences don’t accommodate the number of vehicles registered there, may apply annually for a permit to leave their vehicles on the street. Parking permits are $50, and are renewed every July.
While hopefully increasing compliance with municipal parking standards, Bryszewski said the Frontline service also will simplify officers’ clerical work on the back end.
“[The software license is] $500 year versus the hourly rate of transcribing voicemails and maintaining the books,” he said. “There’s a lot of handwritten logs right now. This is going to streamline it, and allow our guys to be out on the street.”
Oaklyn Police also anticipate potential hiccups as the website rolls out.
One critical detail that Bryszewski asks users to observe closely is the date of their request. For example, someone going to bed before midnight should request an exemption for the four hours between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the following day.
Anyone with questions about the new service is encouraged to contact Oaklyn Police during business hours at 856-854-0049.
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