AFSCME Parking Enforcement Officers Literally Dodge a Bullet on the Job 05/07/2014

AFSCME Parking Enforcement Officers Literally Dodge a Bullet on the Job

VIEW CHANNEL 7 News Coverage

BOSTON - The longstanding problem of physical assaults on AFSCME City of Boston Parking Enforcement Officers reached violent and disturbing heights early yesterday morning when an attempt was made on the lives of two officers as they were doing their jobs near 67 Washington Street in Dorchester.  

Shortly after midnight, two AFSCME officers were parked in a City of Boston van preparing tickets for illegally parked vehicles when someone fired a bullet through the open driver’s side window of the van.  The bullet narrowly missed the driver’s head and exited through the windshield on the passenger’s side of the van, blasting shattered glass into the face and eye of the other officer, a 22-year veteran of the department.  The injured officer was rushed by ambulance to Boston Medical Center, where she was treated for her injuries and released yesterday.  AFSCME is not releasing the names of the officers in order to protect their privacy.  
As AFSCME told Channel 7 News, the union believes that officers were deliberately targeted based on the long track record of attacks on parking enforcement officers by disgruntled citizens.  Council 93 and Local 1892 have adopted a zero-tolerance policy for assaults on parking enforcement officers, pledging to file criminal complaints against anyone who assaults an officer.  The union is also committed to following each case through the court system and will push for stiff penalties and fines for all who are charged.

Anyone with information on the shootings is urged to confidentially share the information with the Boston Police by calling 1-800-494-TIPS.   

Click here for more media coverage of shooting