Courtney (Ticketing and Booting) - MPD

How did you get involved in the MPD?
I actually just applied by random at the city building, took my test and passed test, came and been here ever since.

Why did you join the MPD?
I love doing what I do. But sometimes it’s the people that make you not really like what you do including the names you get called for just doing a service that’s actually beneficial to them. But I like writing tickets, I love booting. When I started, I was writing tickets, but I think I like booting the most out of everything because it’s a faster pace, more excitement I think.

What are the traits you need to do this job well?
I’ve learned that the thing that bothers people the most is when they're fussing and giving you a hard time, and you just turn around, walk away, and get in the car. They say “You not gonna argue with me?!” They get upset about it because they want you to argue.

I try my best to be good at everything that I do. I don’t half step. If I’m going to do it I want to give my all in doing it. So I believe that I am a very good ticket writer. I believe that every job I’ve done in this department, I’m good at. I’m a great booter. There are other people who can do the job better than me or who are faster than me, but maybe the thing that separates me from somebody else is I have confidence in what I do. I’m not afraid or ashamed of what I do, and so, it just works for me that way.

Sonjia (Ticketing and Booting) - MPD

Why did you join the MPD?
Before I joined the MPD I was in property management. When I would come in to work in the morning, all of the unfinished work from the day before was still on my desk. Here, when you issue that last ticket that day, the day is over with. And then you come back a new day and start all over. It's not like what I did before, and in parking enforcement when you go out there you don’t know what to expect. It’s something new. You go out and you check for certain safety violations, and we try to modify the people from making things unsafe for the citizens out there.

What are the traits you need to do this job well?
I’m a caring person. When I first got the job, I thought it was cruel. Because it seemed like we’re taking money out of people’s pockets. But after I started doing the job, I’ve found out, it’s like I’m doing a good deed. I turn around and look at the good deed I’m doing, the safety factors for this city and the people, and that’s why I see it as a positive, instead of a negative.

Eric (Ticketing) – MPD

How did you become involved with the MPD?
I originally applied for a waste management position, but I ended up signing up for this job. I do enjoy it, but it's not fun giving the tickets out every time. If a person doesn't have an attitude and is respectful, I don't have a problem asking them, "Would you rather put some money in the meter or do you prefer the ticket?"

What surprised you about the job when you started?
I didn't think people were so incredibly abusive until I started this job. I've been called everything under the sun. Oh well. You can say whatever you want to to me, but it won't make a difference. You wouldn't think people would get that upset since they're the ones in violation. I'm not trying to be mean; I'm just doing my job.

Darryl (Ticketing) – MPD

How did you become involved with the MPD?
I was in the Navy, then I worked in the private sector for about five years, then I came to the city. Because I knew city [jobs] were more stable, and I needed that. I worked for the city as a building attendant for three and a half years and then I got promoted to this job.

What traits do you need to do this job well?
You have to be prepared for anything. Every day is different. There is no telling what you will see out here. That’s what makes this job interesting. My first week on the job I was writing a ticket and people came out and said, “I think that guy might be dead in the car. He hasn’t moved!” I had already written the ticket and I couldn’t see the guy, but when I got up to the door, I noticed there was a person slumped over. I thought he might be asleep. He looked like he was asleep. But when I touched him and I tried to wake him up, he was cold. I said, “Well, he’s dead.” I definitely took that ticket back.

Michele (Booting) - MPD

Why did you join the MPD?
It’s a natural thing. I love booting, Its just unexplainable, some people say it’s a dangerous job, but I just don’t think it is. It's fun, you come out here do your job, go home, and relax. Most people do get angry and they talk a lot of stuff but, it rarely gets physical. Rarely, very rarely.

What are the traits you need to do this job well?
What makes you a good booter? You have to be fast, you have to know what you’re doing and when you get these angry customers, you have to know how to speak to them because they’re already upset and in a frenzy so you really have to know how to talk to them to calm the situation down. So, I think I do a good job of that so that ‘s why I think I’m a good booter!