The San Francisco Standard Interviews Matthew McNicholas on Military Veteran Officers’ Clash with SFPD Over Disabled Parking Privileges
The San Francisco Standard interviewed Partner Matthew McNicholas about the dispute between the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and five active-duty officers he represents. These officers, all disabled military veterans, are under scrutiny for using disabled parking placards and special license plates, which the California DMV grants to individuals with disabilities. However, the SFPD requires officers with these privileges to either relinquish them or disclose their disabilities for fitness evaluations.
In October, SFPD Chief Bill Scott ordered officers with disabled plates or placards to either return them or request accommodations. A small group of officers, supported by their union, is resisting, claiming they’ve done nothing wrong and are being unfairly targeted.
SFPD officers must pass a biannual physical fitness test, but disabled officers are exempt from certain physical tasks, like running or climbing, if their disabilities prevent them. McNicholas told the San Francisco Standard that all five have 100% disability ratings from the Department of Veterans Affairs but none have a mobility impairment that would prevent them from serving in the field. He also noted that none of them are behind on their physical fitness evaluations.
Read the full article here.
