ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque confirms an Albuquerque police sergeant broke city ordinance on at least one documented occasion when he parked his patrol unit on the sidewalk in his neighborhood. Neighbors say it’s a regular occurrence, though.

A picture of the incident was taken in the Story Rock neighborhood along Unser north of Western Trail and sent to the city in a 311 complaint.

The complaint reads:

There is a police vehicle that is parking on the sidewalk and has been for quite some time. Police officers are not exempt from following ADA rule and regulations OR Story Rock HOA rules and regulations. The HOA management company has already attempted to reach out to this police office to move the vehicle but the officer has not done so. We need to have this looked into ASAP. Parking on the sidewalk is a violation of the Story Rock Rules and Regulations as well as an ADA violation.

KRQE News 13 reached out to the Story Rock HOA management company. The management company said it submitted the 311 complaint after a neighbor brought the issue to their attention.

People KRQE News 13 showed the photo to say they’re bothered by it, too.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate because if you’re a police officer, you enforce the law. So you have to abide by them as well,” Karisa Roman, who lives in the area, said.

“I wouldn’t want to disrespect him, but I’d say move it,” Theresa Bailey, who also lives in the area, said. “Children and older people might have to walk in the street and get hit by a car.”

But not everyone in the community minds the sidewalk parking job, like Michael Eggleston, the officer’s next door neighbor. He sees the patrol SUV as a crime deterrent.

“I have no idea who would have a problem with it, being how it’s a good indicator that the police are in the neighborhood,” Eggleston said.

Mind or not, the city’s Municipal Development Department confirmed by looking at the picture that the officer violated city ordinance by parking the way he did. It’s illegal to obstruct city sidewalks.

Municipal Development said it’s only okay for police to park on the sidewalk when there’s an active crime scene.

KRQE News 13 reached out to APD for comment on the incident and was sent this statement:

We appreciate the public for bringing this to our attention. We have addressed this issue with the officer through his chain of command.

The city’s Parking Enforcement Division and APD can write parking violation tickets in instances like this.