S1 E1: "Every Officer Deserves to Get Home Safe"

Show Notes:

Episode 1: Frontline Safety, Part I

Featuring Charles “Chuck” Billows, Deputy Director, Department of Finance, City of Chicago

What does it take to protect the people who enforce the curb? In this first episode of Parking Live, co-hosts Jade Neville and Matt Darst sit down with Chuck Billows, Deputy Director for the City of Chicago’s Department of Finance, to talk about frontline officer safety—and why it’s become a top civic priority.

Chuck brings both lived experience and leadership perspective, having worked on the ground and now managing one of the largest city enforcement programs in the U.S.

From body-worn cameras and panic buttons to uniform redesign and real-time monitoring systems, Chuck shares how Chicago is investing in safety through smart tech, training, and thoughtful policy. The episode also explores:

• What new legislation means for protecting parking staff 
• The power of data to improve officer deployment and reduce risk 
• Why public perception of parking enforcement still needs to change 
• How shifting focus from revenue to community outcomes improves morale, equity, and compliance 

This is the first of a two-part series on Frontline Safety. Part II continues the conversation from a law enforcement perspective.

🔗 Resources & Links

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Guest info: Charles Billows, Deputy Director, City of Chicago Dept. of Finance

charles.billows@cityofchicago.org

✅ Podcast Credits

Parking Live is a production Modaxo Media Group, passionate about moving the world’s people.

• Hosts & Producers — Jade Neville and Matt Darst  
• Executive Producer — Julie Gates  
• Producer & Editor — Chris O’Keeffe 
• Associate Producer — Cyndi Raskin 
• Recording Engineer — Patrick Emile  
• Brand Design — Tina Olagundoye  

Got a question or comment? Email us at mediagroup@modaxo.com 

⚠️ Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo, their affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent. This production belongs to Modaxo and may contain information subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual-property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo and specifically disclaim all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.

Transcript

Episode 1: Frontline Safety pt. I

Introduction to Parking Live

​[00:00:00] 

Jade Neville: Welcome to Parking Live, the podcast where the curb meets the conversation.

Meet the Hosts: Jade and Matt

Jade Neville: I am Jade Neville. I began my career as a civil enforcement officer, and today I play a leading role in shaping parking strategy and national standards across the uk.

Matthew Darst: I'm Matt Darst, a former city official and longtime public sector strategist. , I spent my career focused on making parking and mobility policy smarter, more fair and more effective.

Jade Neville: This is a project I've been so excited to bring to life, and I am really proud to say we are finally here. 

Podcast Mission and Season Overview

Jade Neville: It's time to move beyond managing parking, to understanding it, improving it, and aligning it with the needs of our communities.

Matthew Darst: Each episode, we strive to bring you smart global conversations about curbside space, policy, and technology, really from the front lines to the [00:01:00] system level.

Jade Neville: This isn't just a podcast, it's a movement to rethink mobility, one curb at a 

Speaker 7: time.

Matthew Darst: We've built this show for leaders in parking, mobility, and public service. ,

Jade Neville: This season we're tackling the big issues, frontline safety, fire risk, and EV infrastructure. The impact of artificial intelligence on enforcement, staffing, and procurement, 

Matthew Darst: And something that's near and dear to my heart, how data-driven curb policy can actually shift public behavior.

Frontline Safety Series Kickoff

Jade Neville: Today's episode kicks off our series 

on frontline safety. We're asking, what does it take to truly support the people 

enforcing curbside policy every day?

 Matt, since Chicago's your home turf, why don't you set the scene for U.S. today? 

Chicago's Parking Enforcement Challenges

Matthew Darst: Well, I'm excited that we're starting in Chicago with Charles Chuck Billows, , the city of Chicago's Deputy Director of the Department of Finance. You may know the city of Chicago as the windy city or the city with big shoulders, or, , as Mayor Daley called it, the city that [00:02:00] works. , I know Chicago as a place where I spent many years in government. , I also called Chicago home. It is really one of the few places that captures the pressure associated with parking, , including the, , immense strain related to policies and the public response around those policies.

You, you really don't see it anywhere like you do in the city of Chicago. , The pressure obviously comes from, , safety risks and public frustration. , The policies are always changing. Uh, they're always new laws, new technology. , The city, as you'll, , hear is exploring smarter deployment and, , the public's response, well, , sometimes skeptical, , sometimes supportive.

, But always deeply felt, and I know that from experience, having received parking tickets myself. What we've found though in this conversation was really a story that's not just about citations. It's about protecting [00:03:00] people and changing public perception and behavior, and really improving trust.

Jade Neville: I am genuinely looking forward to this conversation. Let's dive in.

Jade Neville: Chuck, , thank you very much for joining us. today. 

Safety Measures and Public Perception

Jade Neville: I'm, I'm excited to talk to you about such an important topic, which is, is, uh, frontline office of safety, , and, and safety and parking, and how we can improve that, , as an industry. ,, I wanna start with the, the bigger picture here.

, Why is. Safety in parking, uh, or safety for parking enforcement officers? A citywide priority. And what challenges make this work uniquely risky?

Charles Billows: , So for me, when you've done the job like I have, uh, you realize that safety is important. You know, I understand what it's like to be out there all alone when someone's irate. , Our staff are mostly on foot. So when they're, you know, patrolling our 77 neighborhoods, they're [00:04:00] highly visible for motorists and residents.

So, , we feel like we wanna make sure that they feel safe when they're doing that. Work.

Jade Neville: and public perception, has a, a big part to play in this as well, doesn't it? And how, how do you feel public perception of parking enforcement has, impacted the risks faced by officers in the field?

Charles Billows: , I think that motorists are misinformed about quotas or enforcement motives. You know, there's widespread frustration with parking tickets that can turn personal when someone receives one. the role is misunderstood by the public. PAs don't enforce to generate revenue. They write tickets to change behavior, and it makes our streets safer.

But that's a misunderstanding that can lead to conflict.

Matthew Darst: I think that makes it all the more important to underscore some of the things that, , cities like Chicago do to protect people. And something I saw recently was that Chicago passed an ordinance. , This was, um, section eight dash [00:05:00] four dash 0 7 7 of the Municipal Code, which criminalizes threats, uh, and assaults on parking enforcement officers.

And I'm wondering, what, what prompted this policy and have you seen an impact? , And if not, what type of impact do you anticipate seeing?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so we were seeing increased reports of violence and intimidation towards our parking enforcement staff. And then after looking at it, we saw that there was some gaps in the law for non-sworn parking enforcement officers. So we wanted to make sure that we sent a clear message that threats and assaults will not be tolerated within the city of Chicago .

Matthew Darst: You've, , unfortunately, I think, , firsthand seen some of that, . , I imagine that, , that has really reinforced why this is so important, uh, for you as, as someone who, you know, used to be on, on the frontline. Correct?

Charles Billows: Yeah, that's very true.

Matthew Darst: , I noted that it. Doesn't just apply [00:06:00] to city employees, but also contractors and other parking ambassadors.

Can you explain to us. why ensuring it was so inclusive was was important?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so all of you know, parking enforcement, uh, personnel face the same risks , so we wanted to make sure that it was equitable across all enforcement, that they all felt like it was covered.

Matthew Darst: And, and so that would cover. I guess contractors that may be enforced during the afternoons, it would also cover, maybe like the concessionaire and, and other citation issuers. Is that 

Charles Billows: that's correct. Yes.

Technological Innovations in Safety

Jade Neville: And, and chuck, you, you've invested in tools like panic buttons and vehicle cameras and instant heat maps. Can you, can you walk us. through how Chicago designed a safety system that's both responsive and preventative? I.

Charles Billows: Yeah, so we integrated a panic button . So if there is an incident where they can't get to the radio to call for help. They can trigger a, like a little [00:07:00] lapel button, , that remotely, , sends an alarm to our 9 1 1 center and they are notified that the, the boot officer is in need of, uh, assistance.

So it works really well. It also shows the surveillance cameras that are mounted on the vehicles so they can see what's, what's going on and decide whether they just need police or they need medical attention also. , Our heat maps are to help to, uh, promptly adjust enforcement to high risk zones, so identify as an area that has, uh, previous high crime.

So we want to be aware of that before we're starting to enforce in that area. So all those tools will work together to both, uh, document and deescalate situ.

Jade Neville: That's great. It's an impressive use of technology to to, to protect frontline team. Was really good.

Matthew Darst: Well, and something I saw when I did a recent tour there, Jade, is they have a real time monitoring room where they track officer activity. , You can see everyone on a screen and you can see the zones they're in, and you can see [00:08:00] images from all the cameras that are working. , And so, Chuck, I, I guess, I mean, I was fascinated by this.

Can you tell us. Give us. a little bit more insight into how that system works day to day, how it's monitored, and how does that really change how you supervise, , officers in the field.

Charles Billows: So we have GPS Live feed to all our, uh, all our staff, so our supervisors know. Where the staff are at, in case there's an issue or to, um, monitor that they're covering their assigned areas. Um, it supports for faster dispatch decisions, , and proactive oversight of staff. It creates a safety net overall.

Our staff that are on the street enforcement officers know when you know someone's watching and we're ready to help. It makes them feel more secure.

Jade Neville: Sounds like I need to book myself a trip to Chicago to see the. This, uh, this control room. It sounds amazing. A lot of, uh, a lot of things have changed since the days where I was a, an enforcement officer, that's for sure.

Um, no. 

Uniforms and Training for Safety

Jade Neville: Yeah, [00:09:00] we often, we often overlook the, the role of uniforms in public safety.

I think, um, Chicago uses an oversized PEO uniform patch. , So what drove the decision to make that insignia more prominent? And what effect will that have on both compliance and officer safety?

Charles Billows: You know, uh, professional attire, it commands a little more respect than someone just in like a hoodie, you know, doing the job. So we take that. You know, into consideration when we're designing the uniforms, the patches, making sure that they're very visible, uh, to the motorist. , It reduces confusion.

Officers are clearly identifiable when they're, when they're performing their duties. It reduces Aggressive behavior and reinforces that they are the authority of the city and acting on behalf of the city. Um, it's especially important for our boot staff, you know, they're down at the wheel of a vehicle applying a boot.

, So we wanna make sure that the people don't think that, you know, they're trying to steal their tires or something like that. So we wanna make sure that the [00:10:00] vehicle's visible, the staff are visible and they know what's going on, that they're well informed. , 

Jade Neville: so important, isn't it? It's that kind of first perception piece as well for public. When you see somebody I think everybody naturally makes a, a judgment based on someone's visual appearance within seconds. And I think uniforms is so important as a way of being able to make that first impression as well.

Matthew Darst: Well, and, and Chuck, I mean, when, my recollection is when you, , started to manage these teams, one of the things that you did almost right away was change the uniforms, because I remember the days of walking down the street and the enforcement personnel were wearing. These really bad polyester brown outfits, right?

It was a brown shirt, brown pants. Not very professional. No real badge insignias, right? Nothing that really said that they had any authority [00:11:00] whatsoever. And you, you went about, and, and, and change that, correct?

Charles Billows: Yeah, that's correct. We changed it. We changed the colors. Uh, we improved the patching. The, the patches used to be brown with a brown shirt. It all just kind of blended together, so we wanted to make sure that they could read what the patch said. Makes them look way more professional.

Matthew Darst: I know, , you've done training, for instance with, Booters, right? Where, I remember, . Years ago there had been a booter that was shot and there was some really intensive training, uh, done where you said, um, hey, if, if someone comes in, comes and confronts you, , leave, especially if they've run back in their house.

Right. And that, to me, this, this idea of emphasizing the role of procedure. Over instinct. That's something that Chicago's really embraced and I'm [00:12:00] wondering what kind of training do you do to help your enforcement personnel handle those types of confrontations or, or maybe even better yet, walk away from something that could potentially escalate.

Charles Billows: Yeah, so Chicago definitely has the, the walkaway policy inform the motorists that, you know, they are on the boot list. There are options to get on a payment plan, um, before they're booted, which are, are much lower. , We also have deescalation training. Like we, we call it verbal judo. It's kind of like, you know, let them know what their options are and bring them down a little bit and 'cause they're, um, their adrenaline's pumping, someone's taking their vehicle or attempting to take their vehicle.

So we like to, you know, in inform the motorist and deescalate the situation. And if, you know, walk away is our first thing. If someone comes out and engages, walk away, inform them and move on.

Matthew Darst: Yeah, I mean, I guess it, the idea there is it's [00:13:00] not worth it, right? You're, you're gonna boot them again. You're gonna ticket them again, right? One, one ticket is not worth the, the danger, the liability, the, the loss of life, et cetera.

Charles Billows: Yeah, exactly.

Jade Neville: , Can you talk us. through Chuck, some of the pre-shift. Briefings or other proactive routines that are used, uh, to keep officers informed of local threats or high risk areas.

Charles Billows: Yeah, so when they, when they start their shifts, we do like a roll call for our staff. Uh, we give them alerts about protests, um, street closure, the weather, , alerts or specific threats. , We assign them to their specific route. , We also have procedures for high heat and cold and very cold weather.

We'll, we'll put them in vehicles to patrol as a team. , Our downtown units are able to take, uh, multiple breaks, so we make sure that they are, um. You know, taken care of while they're out there.

Matthew Darst: I mean, that's, that's a really important part of [00:14:00] safety, right? We, we talk about, uh, the. Interaction with the public, but, there are, are all these other factors, uh, like dealing with the weather or dealing with, the need for first aid or what have you. Right? So, , , I'm glad that's a conversation that we're having because it all really does underscore how we look out for the welfare of, of these resources.

Charles Billows: Yeah. We've also included, uh, like public restrooms within the, someone's working in new area that they're not familiar with. They can click on their app that they're using to enforce, and it'll show them the, you know, the public restrooms within their vicinity. So.

Matthew Darst: See and, and like, or the provision of, you know, police locations or public transit. I think all those things really make their job easier. 

Data-Driven Enforcement Strategies

Matthew Darst: , You know, and while you're talking about maps, you, you mentioned earlier your use of crime data to map incidents to inform. How [00:15:00] and where officers are scheduled. And I'm wondering, can you give me an example of how deployment has shifted in response to those risks?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so we use the crime to overlay with our enforcement zones to inform for scheduling. So those officers are paired up in certain, in certain areas and are also, uh, assigned vehicles so they can kind of go in the area, enforce what needs to be enforced, and then move on to the next area. Um, the data helps us.

reduce our exp exposure to known problems and, and zones during vulnerable hours. Sometimes at nighttime, specific areas are only, you know, high crime areas. So, uh, we make adjustments also to respond to new threats like protests or hostile, uh, repeat encounters.

Matthew Darst: That, uh, that use of data, um, can you explain a little bit more about how you're using it to reprioritize [00:16:00] enforcement zones for, for example. I know that Chicago is focused on shifting enforcement away from some disadvantaged neighborhoods and towards business districts where there's, there's more of a need for enforcement, where you have more congestion, , and you have more, , risk to safety caused by violations.

How does that philosophy contribute to officer safety?

Charles Billows: So, uh, it reduces the potential for conflict in over enforced communities. Um, it aligns our enforcement with social harm. You know, blocking bus lanes and bike lanes and fire hydrants or double parking, uh, rush hour, , infractions. Those affect the community and other people, if you know, so we, we focus on those violations, parking meters.

We wanna make sure that there's turnover in our business districts so people have access to the stores. , Higher rates of [00:17:00] compliance and fewer altercations in commercial zones. So, and it, it improves fairness and reduces public resentment.

Matthew Darst: That's neat. That's something that rarely, I think it's discussed when we're talking about officer safety.

Jade Neville: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. It definitely under discussed, so thanks for bringing it up. Um, Chuck, it's really important and, uh, I think another, another element of this is automated enforcement as well. Um, so it's automated enforcement's often discussed in terms of protecting cyclists and improving compliance, but how does it also improve the safety of enforcement officers themselves?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so it removes the need for in-person ticketing altercation. Those violations , are typically someone who's, you know, running a quick errand or picking up food like a delivery person or something. So they're, they're high altercation of citations in our opinion. Um, it reduces the , risk of confrontation, especially in high traffic corridors.[00:18:00] 

Officers stay in the vehicle and operate from inside the vehicle, so, you know, less exposure. It creates safer alternatives in places where enforcement traditionally triggers tension. So we're, we're super excited about, uh, piloting this.

Jade Neville: It is a, it's a great use of technology and, and another great tool in the, in, in the Armory for, uh, parking management teams. I believe technology's, um, quite underutilized, , I think even still in this day and age. Um, so that will be great to see the outcomes. Of that and what positive impacts it will have, um, on your, on your teams, um, and in and in higher risk areas.

I, I believe you've moved away from solo assignments, so can you share a little bit more about the strategy behind team-based deployment and the use of bike units as well?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so officers are paired up, uh, for , mutual support and deterrent. So typically when people see two people, they're less likely to engage. , Bike teams provide mobility and high visibility. About 10 to 15% of our staff are on [00:19:00] bicycles. We're, we're continuing to try to, uh, promote that with new employees starting, , it's easier access in dense or congested areas without sacrificing safety.

So we think that's, you know, very important. And our pairs are especially used in areas with repeat or unpredictable risks.

Jade Neville: Safety in numbers sometimes, right?

Charles Billows: Yeah.

Matthew Darst: So you, you were mentioning, um. Some of the tools earlier. 

Interagency Collaboration and Outreach

Matthew Darst: Uh, I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit more about, um, your boot crews and their access to the CPD, the Chicago Police Department channels. How does that interagency connection enhanced safety and response time? Should there be, uh, a real incident?

Charles Billows: Yeah, so our, our boot crews now have the ability to, uh, transmit over the Chicago Police department's, uh, citywide channel. So it's a direct access to the dispatcher. We have a, a pot of districts in the city so they can [00:20:00] communicate with each other, so it. It jumps the step of the call taker. So it's literally a direct call to a dispatcher.

Dispatcher sends it over to the zone, and it's a faster response for police. Um, it also enables real time reporting of assaults of, or stolen vehicles of threats. So if we come across a vehicle that's reported stolen, we use that same radio to call and let them know that this vehicle's parked here, this is the, this is what we're seeing, and then they'll send out a police officer to recover the vehicle.

It also makes the, the booter feel more secure. It builds, you know, interdepartmental trust and speeds assistance, uh, especially useful in zones without immediate backup.

Jade Neville: Support from, uh, police and authorities is so important. Isn't it? And it's the same, it's the same situation in the UK here, that response time is, can be critical, uh, when it comes to altercations that are happening, especially with lone worker situations, um, as well. So that's a, that's a great, um, way of getting [00:21:00] around that, cutting down that response time.

, In your view, how does investing in officer safety impact morale and retention and the professionalism of the enforcement program itself?

Charles Billows: Yeah, we feel that officers feel respected and protected. It, it boosts retention. You know, it there, there were some periods where we had a high turnover, so we wanna make sure that they feel like, you know, their safety is a priority. us. um. It builds confidence in leadership increases when systems support safety, um, creates a culture of professionalism and enforcement over reactive actions, and it just engages better field behavior and consistency across the board.

I.

Matthew Darst: As a, as a Chicago resident, I. See the outreach that the Chicago Department of Finance does. Uh, I see you at community meetings. Uh, I especially like in my neighborhood, whenever there's a, [00:22:00] you know, the, the public Cubs meetings, right? I, there's always a representative from the Department of Finance Finance, uh, I know you're always involved in the.

Planning, uh, done by the emergency management department. I know how much you've reached out to the, the neighborhood ward offices and discussed their concerns with them. You're constantly doing outreach and I'm wondering, one, did I, did I miss anything? Are there any, any other aspects of outreach?

, But two, how does that help really reduce tension , between residents and, and compliance officers?

Charles Billows: We do a huge outreach to all 50 of our aldermen to see what's important to them and their residents. Like what do they want to see enforced, uh, what are they receiving complaints about?

So we, we, it's each individual ward is different. So we make sure to get their, their [00:23:00] input and then address those issues based on that. , And then the education helps explain why we enforcement exists. Access, turnover, safety, and once everyone realizes that, then it's much easier for us. to do our job.

Matthew Darst: So you're aligned with what? Those wards, , need, and they're, as representatives of their communities, they're, they're expressing to you the, uh, interest of their, uh, electorate, right? And, and so you're really focused on providing them what they've asked for.

Charles Billows: that's definitely our focus.

Jade Neville: I mean, Chuck, you've shared so much, uh, great stuff with us. 

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Jade Neville: already that you're doing in the city of Chicago, and I'm, I'm, I'm so glad that we're able to, to kinda use this platform to share this with other. And I wonder, what advice would you give other cities to improve officer safety if they're trying to do so, and what would you suggest they start doing today?

Charles Billows: Yeah, I would definitely start with data. Where incidents are occurring and where complaints are [00:24:00] coming from, and rethinking enforcement zones to prioritize specific areas is very important. I would start there. I was also invest in real time support tools, post accident documentation, making sure that the staff feel supported.

Those would be the the two recommendations top.

Matthew Darst: well, that's great, Chuck. Uh, we want to, we want to thank you and the Department of Finance, uh, of the City of Chicago for, for joining us. today and walking us. through how the city is really taking. Officer Safety seriously, not just as a response to risk, but as a proactive investment in, uh, the folks that work for your department. It, it's clear to us. , That when City Street parking enforcement as a professional public service 

And not just a revenue function, everyone really benefits.

Charles Billows: Yes, definitely.

Jade Neville: Yeah, absolutely. This conversation is a reminder that enforcement officers aren't just out there issuing tickets. They're part of the fabric of the city, [00:25:00] um, and giving them the tools and training and respect. They deserve isn't just good policy, it's the right thing to do. Um, so Chuck, thank you so much again for sharing your time and your perspective.

I'm, I'm sure many people have some great takeaways from this.

Charles Billows: Yeah, this is great. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 8: Thank you for listening. I'm Julie Gates, executive Producer of Parking Live. This show is hosted and produced by Jade Neville and Matt Darst. Recorded by Patrick Emil and edited and produced by Chris O'Keefe. Parking Live is being brought to you by Modaxo. Passionate about moving the world's people. You can follow U.S.

on LinkedIn. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit U.S. online@parkinglive.buzz sprout.com. Thanks for joining U.S. at Parking Live, where the curb meets the conversation.