Parking Tickets in Malibu Will Be Issued by Volunteers This Summer

A group of civilian volunteers assigned to assist sheriff’s deputies will soon be scouring the streets of Malibu in search of illegally parked cars.

But that’s not all. The volunteers will be issuing parking tickets, too.

The Malibu City Council on Wednesday approved parking enforcement training by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for its Volunteers on Patrol members. They’ll be ready to hit the streets by Fourth of July weekend, according to Malibu’s city manager Jim Thorsen.

The volunteers will concentrate on the city’s high-activity areas, such as the Civic Center and Zuma Beach, allowing deputies to focus on other tasks, Thorsen said. They’ll be in a single marked car alloted just for volunteers, and wearing distinct VOP uniforms.

“It’s not just a random guy in a T-shirt and jeans,” Thorsen said.

They’re also trained on how to handle hostile situations, particularly with drivers who may not like the idea of receiving a ticket from a volunteer.

“We don’t want any confrontations,” Thorsen said. “If they are confronted, the best thing is to walk away and receive assistance from sheriff’s deputies.”

The city said putting its volunteer force on parking enforcement duty is a good use of resources and it comes at the right price: free

“We’re hoping that it works well for the VOPs, the sheriff’s department, residents and visitors,” Thorsen said. “If there seems to be problems with it, we’ll have to revisit those issues. The hope is that it will work very well.” 

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