By Bill Grubb
News Editor

ROGERSVILLE - The Rogersville Police Department is cracking down on unauthorized motorists who park in handicapped spaces, but they have found they need some help from those who legitimately should be there.
    While license plates are available for vehicles driven by those with a disability, there is also a placard that should be placed on a vehicle's rear view mirror if the vehicle has a standard license plate but is being used by disabled or handicapped individual.
    "What we're running into are motorists who have a placard but don't use it. They are parking in a handicapped space and then getting a ticket, but shouldn't,"  City Recorder Bill Lyons, who also serves as city court judge, explained.
    According to Lyons, he has dismissed several citations because when motorists show up for court they also bring the placard and necessary paperwork.
    "If the placard isn’t displayed properly they are wasting an officer's time when he writes a ticket.  They are wasting their time, because they have to come to court and answer the ticket. They are also wasting court time, because if they have the placard we have to dismiss the ticket and they shouldn't even be in court in the first place," he added.
    Lyons said the idea behind the effort is to catch motorists illegally parking and free up the designated spaces for those who do need them.
    "What people need to understand is the placard doesn't do any good if they don't use it," the recorder added.