Fines for parking illegally in disability parking spaces have increased to at least $250, more than doubling the old fine of $100.

Also increasing are the fines for offenders who repeatedly park illegally. The Illinois Senate approved legislation to increase fines up to $1000 for repeat offenders. Under the new legislation, offenders might pay $750 for a second offense and $1000 for a third.

DeKalb

Lt. Carl Leoni of the DeKalb Police Department is working with businesses that currently have the $100 fine signs to update them to $250.

“The signs belong to the businesses,” Leoni said. “The city is going to work with the businesses to give them decals to put over them.”

Leoni and at least a dozen other officers underwent training to adapt to the recent changes.

“We are going to crack down,” Leoni said. “What we’ve done recently is, we’ve had representatives of the Secretary of State police come over and train at least a dozen officers on the latest updates of accessible parking.”

The officers were taught how to read the different disability placards to tell if they were fraudulently altered.

The DeKalb police have already begun to arrest violators. Leoni said there have been three or four arrests relating to offenders abusing the parking spaces.

To find violators, police patrol businesses.

“We see who’s getting out of the car and has a placard,” Leoni said. “We make sure who’s using the placard is valid and that is not fraudulently being used and that it’s not altered.”

Campus

On campus, Parking Enforcement officers and public safety officers patrol the disability parking spaces.

The fine for parking in a disability parking space is $250 and can be up to $350 elsewhere, said Laura Lundelius, coordinator of parking and traffic for Campus Parking Services at NIU.

If someone needs to use disability parking on campus, they will need both a designated placard or plate and an NIU permit.

Along with the growing population, there is the growing need for more designated spots.

“We monitor the use and needs of handicapped spaces on campus closely and add when and where needed,” Lundelius said. “Most handicapped spaces are in blue faculty/staff lots, so commuter students are most likely not affected by adding handicapped spaces on campus.”

Anyone with a temporary or permanent disability can contact Campus Parking Services for more information.