Boot Patrol Leaves Mark on Scofflaws : Traffic: Expanded program to immobilize vehicles of motorists with at least five unpaid tickets has helped city of Los Angeles increase its fine collection rate.

Traffic Officer Richard Price drove the yellow city van slowly through the Wilshire area as his partner Robert Johncox entered into a computer the license plate numbers of parked cars.

Suddenly, the license of a red Pontiac Fiero triggered a response from the computer: “BOOT ELIGIBLE.” The car had 10 unpaid parking tickets, totaling $546 in fines.

Within 60 seconds, Price and Johncox had locked an orange steel clamp, called “the Double Helix,” to the car’s tire making it impossible to drive away without damaging the car. Price threw his hands up when he finished securing the boot. “That’ll do it,” he said with a smile.

Booting teams such as Price and Johncox replay the scene on the streets of Los Angeles an average of 72 times a day--nearly twice as often as when the booting program started four years ago. State law allows the city to give cars the boot if they have five or more outstanding parking tickets.

Scofflaws must pay the overdue fines and a $35 fee to have the boot removed. If the fines are not paid in 72 hours, the cars are towed.

Parking officials said the addition last year of a second shift of booting officers and a change in policy that allows the eight, two-officer teams to count citations for expired license plates to the five-ticket limit account for the increase.

The combination of the changes resulted in a record 1,900 cars being booted in April by the city’s Habitual Parking Violators Division.

The city’s collection rate for parking fines has jumped from 50% in 1984 to 75% this year, and Jay Carsman, the city’s parking systems coordinator, attributes the increase to the booting program and other efforts, such as mailing reminders and withholding scofflaws’ vehicle registration.

The stakes could rise on Jan. 1 when a new state law will also allow the city to seek a civil judgment against motorists with $400 or more in outstanding parking tickets. A judgment would allow the city to garnishee a motorist’s wages to pay the fines.

“The booting program does have an impact,” Carsman said. “It induces people who would otherwise ignore their responsibility.”

The program’s success has prompted calls of interest from officials in San Francisco, Oakland and other cities, traffic officials said.

Richard Gartley, a photographer from the Wilshire area, watched as Price and Johncox installed a boot on the Fiero. He said he had seen five cars booted in his neighborhood, persuading him to never be delinquent with parking tickets. “No, God, no, I’ll pay my tickets ASAP,” he said.

As the bootings have increased so have incidents of verbal or physical abuse against the booting teams. “A lot of citizens come out and try to kick some booty,” said Senior Traffic Supervisor Betty McMaryion.

McMaryion said motorists have shoved traffic officers and attempted to run over their feet as they try to install the boot.

Johncox said that when he and Price come across an angry motorist, he is responsible for keeping the motorist distracted while Price installs the boot. “It’s just part of the job,” he said. “You come across all kinds of crazy things.”

McMaryion said she found a good example of this two months ago when a team of traffic officers tried to install a boot on a car with $6,000 in outstanding parking tickets.

The woman who owned the car became so furious that she crawled into a traffic enforcement van and refused to get out until the boot was removed from her car, McMaryion said. It took police and traffic officers almost half an hour to talk the woman out of the van. But when she finally left she shoved a traffic officer and was charged with assault, McMaryion said.

Motorists have also tried to pry the boot off or drive away with it attached.

Traffic Supervisor Harold Lee said at least 1,000 boots have been stolen or damaged since the program began. “I’ve seen people damage their cars trying to get them off,” he said. “We found one (boot) in a storm drain.”

On any given day, the city has about 300 boots available for use. Each weighs about 40 pounds and are worth at least $350. “We lose equipment every day,” McMaryion said. “They torch them, they file them, they try to beat them off.”

“Sometimes they try to do it with the officer right there,” she added.