The SHAPE Program was created in 1989 by the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office to educate and enforce the reserved/accessible parking and fire lane laws and ordinances in Onondaga County. The SHAPE Program is comprised of people with and without disabilities who have been trained by the Sheriff's Office as Parking Enforcement Officers. SHAPE Officers are volunteer members of the Sheriff's Office. They are areas in the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County to patrol and enforce the laws on reserved/accessible parking and curb access for people with disabilities. Please read this information on parking for the disabled from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

This symbol identifies those parking spaces that are legally reserved for people with disabilities. Please respect the needs of people with disabilities.

Non-Compliant Businesses: If you discover a business in Onondaga County that is non-compliant to the laws on reserved/accessible parking and curb access for people with disabilities, please print and fill out this form. Please make sure to turn the form in to the person indicated at the bottom of the form.

_____________ Interested in becoming a SHAPE Volunteer? _____________

To qualify as a volunteer, you must:    ¤ Be a resident of Onondaga County    ¤ Be 18 years of age or older    ¤ Have medical permission to perform duties    ¤ Be able to report to the patrol area, write tickets, and place tickets on        vehicles    ¤ Submit an initial application and have an oral interview with the Sheriff's        Office    ¤ Complete the SHAPE Officer training course    ¤ Have the ability to communicate the intent and mission of the SHAPE        Program to violators and the general public

Special thanks to all of our SHAPE volunteers!

Who can park in an reserved/accessible handicapped space? The person to whom a valid permit or license plate was issued must be in the vehicle to use these designated spaces.

Why is the area next to accessible parking spots striped? The stripes designate No Parking and are Access Aisles that provide the needed space for those who use wheelchairs, mobility aids, and lifts to transfer in/out of vehicles.

What is the law? Effective January 1, 2004, the law prohibits drivers from blocking access aisles. Each access aisle will be marked with "No Parking Anytime" signs. The law establishes fines equal to that for illegally parking in a reserved space.

If there are no accessible spaces and I have an accessible permit/license plate, can I park in an access aisle? The access aisle areas are not parking spaces. No one should ever park in the striped areas. In addition, shopping carts should not be left in access aisles.

Remember...please be parking considerate.