Warsaw Police Department recently filled a void for city parking enforcement with the hiring of Dalis Owens.  

Owens began his career in 1996 with the Syracuse Police Department where he eventually became a K-9 handler and served as a school resource officer. He joined the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office in 2002 where he would return to the role of school resource officer and began teaching the DARE program. He has worked in the school systems of Wawasee and Tippecanoe Valley, as well as in the South Whitley Elementary School, according to a news release from the WPD.After retiring from the sheriff’s office, Owens stayed in law enforcement working for the Parkview Hospital Police Department. Most recently, he was working with Bowen Center Corporate Office as an assistant director of facilities and training manager with the training department.
Owens became aware of the opening for parking control and looked forward to an opportunity to interact with the public once again, the release states.
Owens has already been hard at work, as some bad habits manifested with the vacancy in this position downtown. He spent his first week on duty making himself known to business owners and issuing many warnings for various parking violations. The release states, “Please remember to be aware of parking signs so your interaction with our parking enforcement can be positive.”
In addition to a new hire, the community will also see a new look for the parking control vehicle. A black Ford Taurus (repurposed police commission) now has neon yellow graphics outlining “Parking Control” and while there are similarities to city police cars, the difference between the two is obvious. As with other city vehicles, there is a city logo on the side. It is equipped with a communications radio and an amber lightbar.
Any questions or concerns about parking issues in the city of Warsaw may be directed to the Warsaw Police Department at 574-372-9515.