West Hartford residents are now be able to obtain overnight parking permits online.

West Hartford Police Department Badge

By Ronni Newton

The West Hartford Police Department has created an online link so that residents can obtain a permit for overnight street parking without the need to call the department and request permission.

West Hartford has an ordinance in place that prohibits on-street parking between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. In the past, cars parked on the street during those hours have been subject to ticketing unless permission from the police department has been obtained in advance through a call to the non-emergency number.

Valid reasons for requesting an overnight permit – or “omit” – include inability to access a driveway due to repair, or insufficient space in the driveway during visits by out-of-town guests. An omit is typically granted as a courtesy for up to three days.

West Hartford Police Lt. Eric Rocheleau said in a news release that public safety dispatchers answered more than 18,000 calls from residents requesting a parking permit during 2015. Those calls potentially took time away from calls involving public safety situations.

Under the new system, residents can obtain an omit online through the Town of West Hartford’s website. “Residents will be able to maintain an account with their own vehicles and be able to track their existing and past omits. Police officers will have direct access to the system in their police cruisers to see if a vehicle has a valid omit before issuing a ticket,” the release states.

The system contains safeguards to prohibit abuse of the overnight parking rules.

To obtain an omit online, click here.

Questions can be addressed to West Hartford Police IT Specialist Larry Niland at [email protected] or at 860.570.8990.

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