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April 25, 2012
Getting paid to spend the day outdoors, doing cardio and working in a one-man department may not be a dream career for everyone, but Sgt. Albert Pierre, of the Houma Police Meter Enforcement Division, it’s a made-in-the-shade job.
“When they told me about the position, I was like, ‘Where do I sign up?’” said Pierre, who is also the HPD’s lone bicycle patrol officer. “The job was open to only sergeants, and I was the newest one.
After 14 years in the HPD’s patrol division, Pierre made the switch to meter enforcment in July 2001.
“I haven’t always been an avid biker, but I am into personal fitness,” he added, noting he is the agency’s physical fitness leader. I loved car patrol, too, but I like the physical and outdoor aspects of meter enforcement. I don’t really like to be in a car. To me, fitness is key in a long life.”
Prior to joining the bike patrol, Pierre had to complete an International Police Mountain Bike Association course in Lafourche Parish. The sheriff’s office in Lafourche operates a bike patrol, too.
Aboard his two-wheeled, self-propelled office, Pierre checks 200-plus meters daily around the Houma Courthouse and downtown area. Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, he can be spotted circling for violations.
Meter parking violations generated $3,125 for the city, while the parish received $3,130, according to Doug Holloway, Houma clerk and court administrator. In all, 989 tickets were issued in 2011, he said.
“Most of the tickets I issue are to repeat offenders, and no one has ever physically confronted me over placing a citation on his or her vehicle,” Pierre said. “Most people are pretty accepting of it, like, ‘Man, you got me again,’ and such.
“I don’t really encounter disgruntled people,” he added. “Every now and then someone will call and try to argue that the meter wasn’t working.”
Pierre attributes the public’s pleasantness to his casual biking attire.
“People are friendly. I wear this bright shirt so I don’t get run over, and I think that outfit makes me easier to approach than an officer in a patrol uniform or in tactical gear,” he said. “You don’t get profiled as the ‘typical cop’ in this outfit.”
From his vantage point, Pierre’s seen sides of the city few ever notice. For instance, he recently crossed paths with a 4-foot snake on the boardwalk.
Then there’s the unsecured valuables – purses, wallets, phones and electronic gear, for instance – left in plain sight.
“I once saw a gun on the dashboard of an unlocked vehicle,” the sergeant recalls, shaking his head at the memory.
“I waited near the SUV until the driver returned,” he said.
So, what advice does Pierre have to help the public avoid a meter citation?
“Please, make sure that meter you are feeding money into is even with the front of your vehicle,” he said. “We get people who put money in the meter behind them and they are surprised when they receive a citation. I also issue citations if you are parked in two meter slots, so make sure you are only in one space.”
For those thinking that inclement weather may save them from receiving a citation, think again.
“I check in between rain storms, so if you are over your time, check for a ticket,” Pierre said. “Rain will destroy the paper ticket, but I still have my copy and you will still be fined.”
The officer also warns drivers not to insert coins into the meter if it reads “Failed” or if there is no display on either side of meter.
“If you see a meter that is in need of repair, please call and let us know the meter number, the street it is on, and the nearest cross street,” Pierre, who is also the meter repair man, said.
The most common repair to the meters is merely changing the nine-volt battery that powers the meter.
“Most people think the meters are run off electricity, but they do not. I would have been electrocuted many times before if that was the case,” Pierre said, laughing. “Every now and then the coins will get jammed too. The meters never completely break. They are almost indestructible, unless someone hits one.”
Besides the meter fines, Pierre also enforces yellow zones, vehicles parked against traffic and vehicles parked illegally in handicapped zones.
“My job is mainly geared toward enforcing the meters, but downtown safety and crime prevention is also a priority,” he said. “The downtown development group was concerned about homeless people breaking into the meters, and it was determined that there should be one person to handle the meters on a daily basis.”
And one parting thought, remember the cameras.
“There are cameras everywhere downtown, and there are more coming to help prevent any negative activity downtown,” he said. “We will catch people breaking the law.”
Sgt. Albert Pierre with the Houma Police Department’s Meter Enforcement Division checks a meter near the Houma Courthouse. Pierre is the department’s only bicycle patrol officer.
