Car parks: who can issue which fines?
Car parks: who can issue which fines?
"I read a while ago that municipal car park officers can issue tickets for new types of offence that used to be dealt with by the police. What offences are these? I was coming out of a car park when I turned in the wrong direction. A contractor jumped in front of my car to give me a ticket for this offence and because I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. He also asked me for my anti-pollution booklet. Does he have the right to do that?
Amin, Geneva
To give you a precise answer, we would need to know whether this agent was a member of the municipal staff or an employee of the Fondation des Parkings.
In principle, the municipal officers of the city of Geneva are responsible for controlling parking in blue and white spaces within the city, with or without parking meters. They may also be required to issue fines for certain breaches of the Federal Road Traffic Act, such as failure to observe traffic signs.
However, the State of Geneva has created the Fondation des Parkings, a public-law foundation. Its purpose is to encourage, build and operate car parks. Pursuant to article 5A of the Geneva Police Act, this Foundation has duly sworn personnel assigned to controlling the parking of vehicles on the public highway. Article 12 of the Federal Road Traffic Enforcement Act specifies that employees of the Car Parks Foundation are authorised to issue parking fines.
For example, staff from the Fondation des Parkings, who can be identified by their burgundy uniforms, are authorised to issue fines to vehicles that have parked incorrectly, but only in white spaces equipped with parking meters.
However, they do not have the power to fine drivers for traffic offences. Only police officers and municipal security guards can fine you for a traffic offence or for not wearing a seatbelt, and check your anti-pollution booklet.
