by: Sharman Sacchetti Updated: Feb 18, 2016 - 11:09 PM

BURLINGTON, Mass. —

In just a few hours, FOX25 saw police bust a driver for allegedly cheating her way to a better parking space.

Burlington police officer William Trelegan said the driver was using a dead woman’s disability placard.

“Obviously the reason I am stopping you is this placard,” he told her.

A quick search at his car, he discovered the owner of the placard had been dead for five years.

“The obituary is from June 2011, so potentially five years somebody’s been using this placard,” he said

It’s a hefty fine:  $505 for misusing a placard, and another $200 on top of that from the town of Burlington.

Trelegan seized the placard and added it to his collection of photocopies, forged and fake placards.

How to apply for a Disabled Placard/Plate in Massachusetts

 

PAYING FOR THE PROGRAM

Enforcement efforts like these in Burlington pay for themselves, and taxpayers aren’t left on the hook.

“It’s not cost to the taxpayer,” said Chris Hanafin, the coordinator of Burlington’s Disability Access Commission. “From July first to now, the disability access commission collected $5,000 to go toward the handicapped parking fund.

Trelegan added, “the program’s funded through the parking tickets that we issue. All the money from the parking tickets go to the disability access commission.”

With the money from the citations, the disability access commission was able to make big improvements to the Common and also fund two handicapped parking spaces right in front of Town Hall across the street

 

STATE’S EFFORTS

Back in 2013, the Inspector General put out a report detailing what he called widespread abuse of disability placards in downtown Boston.

Read IG’s Report here

FOX25’s Sharman Sacchetti asked him, “Do you think the abuse is getting worse?”

Glenn Cunha answered, “Well, it hasn’t let up.”

According to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the state issued more than 1,000 violations in the past three years for placard abuse.

One of the recommendations the report made was the creation of a task force.

FOX25 learned it is now meeting four times a year with its next meeting scheduled in April.

It also plans to release a report at the end of the year with ways the state and towns can crack down on this fraud.

The IG is also backing a bill that would raise fine.

“We feel as though penalties need to be stiffer,” Cunha said.

The RMV is looking at potentially redesigning the placards to make it easier for police to spot fraud.

 

Penalty and Punishment

There are three levels of violations including 1) a parking ticket for a disabled violation that can be issued by local city/town law enforcement under M.G. L. c.40; 2) a Civil Motor Vehicle Infraction (CMVI) whereby those found responsible face a 30-day license loss; and 3) RMV administrative sanctions.

The placard holder may have his/her privilege taken way during the RMV Administrative Hearing process.

Under Section 113B of Chapter 175A, a penalty shall not be a surchargeable offense and does not impact insurance. 

 

REPORTING FRAUD/ABUSE

Placard fraud comes in many forms, including:

• Using someone else's disability placard or handicap plate,
• Using an expired placard,
• Using a placard or plate that was issued based on incorrect or long-outdated information,
• Making a counterfeit placard or altering an existing one.

You can report placard abuse at 1-855-963-2580 or file a complaint on line or download a form to mail here.