Cheyenne Police Are Phasing Out Tire Chalking For Parking Enforcement

A federal district court recently declared the practice of marking tires with chalk for parking enforcement as unconstitutional, but that ruling doesn't apply here, according to a Cheyenne Police Department spokesman. CPD Public Information Officer Kevin Malatesta says the department has already planned to phase out the practice.

"The court ruling came from the 6th district, Cheyenne is in the 10th district," Malatesta explained. "Legally, that ruling isn't relevant here."

Even if it were, Malatesta says chalking tires will soon be obsolete.

"Our parking enforcement officers are currently testing a license plate reader, which will replace tire chalking very soon," he said.

Malatesta wouldn't specify an exact time table but speculated the license plate readers could be in use within the next few weeks.

The 6th District U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati made national news this week when they ruled that the practice of chalking tires violates the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unlawful search and seizure.