ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A city parking enforcement officer has been blasted for parking illegally while out writing tickets. The city admits it’s a bad look that will prompt a round of training. The incident happened off 7th Street and Kent Ave. downtown, an area of Albuquerque where parking enforcement looks to check for people parking illegally, likely without a residential parking permit.

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However, it was the enforcement officer who got caught parking in the middle of the crosswalk. “I was really surprised and so my team is really diligent about making the right types of choices after that one,” Parking Manager Jeremy Keiser stated.

An Albuquerque man snapped a photo of the city employee in an Albuquerque Parking Division van and posted it to the city’s 311 app. He’s clearly parked in the middle of the crosswalk right in front of St. Mary’s Catholic School.

Keiser admits had any other vehicle parked this way, the driver would have been cited. He said blocking a crosswalk becomes a safety issue for pedestrians who are then forced to navigate around the vehicle, possibly into traffic.

Keiser adds that this employee is among three new staff members and that he’s using this example, as an opportunity to give all of their parking enforcement officers new training and remind them to follow all city ordinances.

“We do want to set the example and we want to set that example high. We have to make sure that we’re always doing the right thing and we’re showing integrity,” Keiser added.

The parking division said its nine safety officers cover the entire city six days a week, and give out an average of 1,200 citations during that time. The hotspots are off Harvard and Cornell in Nob Hill, all along Central in downtown, and in Old Town around the San Felipe area.

A citation for parking on or within 10 feet of a crosswalk will set you back $30. The Albuquerque Police Department also writes parking tickets.