Basketball: Pasadena Police hogging parking lot at Muir, won’t allow Star-News photographer to unload equipment.

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Not sure the reason behind Pasadena Police not allowing media to park in the lot directly in front of the gym for the big game tonight, which is running late by the way. I talked to a police officer who said they were not allowing anybody to park there. Muir AD Robert Galvan has no pull and conceded to police instructions. I got here at 2:30ish and was allowed to park there instead of parking about a block away. Our photographer, who has equipment to unload, couldn’t even drive in to do that. When I asked if there was a reason for not allowing media to park there his response was, “I’m not going to get into it with you.”

I’m not trying to be a jerk. If there’s a legitimate reason for not allowing anybody else to park in the lot, fine. But what’s the harm in allowing media to park there? The lot is almost full, maybe about four spaces available. Seems to me like allowing a female photographer to park there would be harm to no one. There are five police cars parked in the lot and about 12 police officers are expected to be at the game.

I understand police is trying to prevent what happened last time, a fight broke out after the Muir-PHS game and Muir had trouble getting to its bus.

I’m just puzzled why there can’t be some discretion.

Also, the girls game didn’t start until 3:45 p.m. so expect the boys game to start around 5:40ish. Ther’es still some seating available as I’m writing this with 4:48 left in the second quarter of the girls game.

  • Tom Thumb

    Quit sniveling and report on real news. Park and walk in like everyone else. If everyone questioned why police are doing something then they would be so busy giving explanations they couldn’t do their job effectively. Trust that there is a reason or they wouldn’t be there and move on.

    No wonder no one likes the “news” anymore.

    Tabloid hack!

  • http://www.pasadenasportshalloffame.org PASHOFPAL

    Seems PPD had an agenda/directive to handle tonight’s game….would have been helpful if they advised the media and school officials before hand. Instead of “I’m not going to get into it with you,” it should have been, “This is how we’re handling this game tonight, etc.”

    On my way…..

    Laurence Todd
    President
    http://www.pasadenasportshalloffame.org

  • Kentera

    MM,
    Let them do their job and you do yours. You can park a block or two away and still do your job. Obviously, this was part of their planning. Safety first, convenience second.

  • Hal Lamaster

    Kentera said, “Obviously, this was part of their planning. Safety first, convenience second.”

    Obviously their “plan” did not account for the media, which is strange since it was the biggest game of the year. Safety had nothing to do with it. Hopefully next year the police will correct their oversight.

  • Kentera

    Hal Lamaster said, “Obviously their “plan” did not account for the media”.

    Sure it did. They can park and walk like the rest of us. It was obviously covered by the media, so the parking situation had no impact on them.

  • Hal Lamaster

    The media aren’t like the “rest of us.” They aren’t fans. They are working at the game.

    It is standard procedure that workers get to park close to the stadium/arena at every school, except Muir, apparently.

    That includes the game officials, referees, people working the score table, security, concession workers, ticket sellers and ticket takers getting the benefit of preferential parking.

    I believe it was an oversight that the police did not take the media into account when making their security plan. Hopefully they correct it in the future.

  • Kentera

    In normal circumstances, yes this is true. The good thing is now the media know the security plan for next time.