It's safe to say civil enforcement officers haven't always had the best reputation with the public. A lot of effort has gone into trying to alter this negative perception and thankfully people's opinions are beginning to change. 

However, there are some common misconceptions that remain and influence the public's view of parking professionals as a result. We bust a few of these myths below.

Chasing commission

Perhaps the greatest misconception about civil enforcement officers is that they receive a commission for every ticket they hand out and prowl the streets looking for motorists they can fine in order to boost their bank balance.

This is simply not true. Officers are paid a salary and this is in no way impacted by the number of tickets they issue to the public. Bonuses may be available in some roles, but these are simply linked too good performance in the same way as any other job.

Where does the money go?

So, if the money raised through parking charges does not end up straight into civil enforcement officers' pay packets, where does it go? The majority of the funds raised from fines are used to carry out maintenance work on roads and other public facilities and are an important means of income for many councils and local authorities.

Here to help

People commonly see civil enforcement officers as figures of authority who are essentially out to get them. In reality, this is very far from the truth. A lot of effort has been put into making the civil enforcement officer role more customer-friendly in recent years and officers are actively encouraged to provide a helpful service for the public. This can range from providing information on parking and traffic to giving directions to tourists.

Making a difference

It's not particularly obvious, but the work undertaken by civil enforcement officers is actually making a positive difference to the UK. The number of cars on the road is growing with every passing year and without the enforcement of parking regulations things would quickly grind to a standstill due to the traffic chaos.

Want to work in parking?

Looking for your next civil enforcement officer or parking job? Contact the specialists. Here at Unity we have years of experience in the sector and have found thousands of jobs for parking professionals in Greater London and beyond.

Maybe you're thinking about starting a parking career? If so, take a look at our civil enforcement officer job profile and see if this is the right position for you.