Security boost for parking officers

City officials say they plan to give parking enforcement officers self-defense training, equip their radios with direct links to 911, and possibly arm them with pepper spray, after an attack on an officer this week by an irate motorist wielding a baseball bat.

''These people need to know we're watching their back," Acting Transportation Commissioner Thomas Tinlin said.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino said he will file legislation that would make it a felony to attack a public employee. The law is intended to apply to all city employees with jobs that put them in contact with the public, including parking enforcement officers, inspectors, and workers who visit people's homes. Currently, assault and battery on a public employee is a misdemeanor.

''This is the second parking supervisor attacked within the past six months, and we're not going to tolerate it," Menino said. ''Public employees should be treated with respect. This parking officer was just doing his job, and the guy was a lawbreaker who wanted to commit mayhem. I am incensed by actions like these, and we're going to take steps to protect these employees."

Robert Mullen, a two-year veteran of the city's Transportation Department, was writing a ticket at the corner of Charles and Stuart streets Thursday afternoon when a driver, who mistakenly thought he was the intended recipient, jumped out of his car and threatened to break Mullen's legs. The driver grabbed a baseball bat from his car and swung at the officer, narrowly missing his legs, and tried to knock loose the officer's ticket book with a karate chop.

He then jumped into his vehicle, a blue Land Rover, and drove off. Police have not yet identified or apprehended the driver, according to Boston Police Lieutenant Daniel Linskey. They are asking anyone with information to call the Boston police.

City transportation officials and police met yesterday with Mullen and representatives of the union that represents the city's 162 parking officers to develop a plan to combat what they say is increasing violence toward parking enforcement officers and other public employees.

''They feel strongly that with the changing times and road rage that the public is disrespecting them more and obeying the rules less," Tinlin said.

It was at least the second attack on a parking enforcement officer this year. In January, an angry driver threw a large cup of hot coffee in the face of a parking enforcement officer, Christi Noviello, after she left a $55 ticket on his car in the Back Bay. That case has not yet gone to trial, city officials said. After the assault, city officials vowed to make an example of the alleged perpetrator, Francois Youhanna, and educate the public to prevent future attacks.

But with the most recent assault, Tinlin said, officials decided they need to do more.

''We hoped that was an isolated incident," he said. ''We used the bully pulpit to get as much exposure as to the unfair treatment of enforcement officers. But now that we have had two in six months, we've had to ratchet it up. We're sponsoring the legislation next week and hope the union and Boston delegation will stand with the mayor."

Tinlin said officials plan to offer the officers training that would help them evade or shake off attackers. They also are considering arming the officers with pepper spray and retrofitting their walkie-talkies so that they can dial 911 directly if they are in trouble. Currently, they can use their hand-held devices only to call the Transportation Department or other parking officers.

Patricia Johnson, president of AFSCME Local 1892, which represents the parking officers, praised city officials for taking steps to make their jobs safer.

''It's a very difficult job," she said. ''We're not out there winning a popularity contest. We have a job to do, and some people get more vocal than others. Clearly, to be assaulted like that is not right. If that kid had been hit, it would have been a very serious situation. Things like that happen quite frequently, though not to that extent. . . . The level of support we're getting now is very good. I feel as though we have it 100 percent."

Mullen, who took a vacation day yesterday, could not be reached for comment. Tinlin said he was unshaken by the attack. ''There isn't a bitter bone in his body," Tinlin said. ''He's such a class act. His concern was this not be about him, but about the other men and women he works with, making sure they're protected."

Police were trying yesterday to locate the driver, described as a bearded Hispanic male 20 to 25 years old. His registration, 4716BT, was traced to a Chelsea woman, who has not yet been questioned, Linskey said. Police across the state have been asked to look for the car, and Boston police are interviewing possible witnesses.