Members of the Malibu Volunteers on Patrol began issuing parking tickets this past week at the direction of the city, a move that ignited a debate about access to Malibu beaches and trails.
The program is aimed to save the city up to $50,000, free up law enforcement and enforce parking regulations. The volunteers were trained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which contracts with Malibu for its policing services.
The enforcement effort will not be along Pacific Coast Highway, but along other roadways in Malibu, according to the city.
Jenny Price, the creator of the "Our Malibu Beaches" smartphone app, told KPCC that she is viewing Malibu's move to use volunteers with skepticism.
"So I think that is really interesting that they're so concerned about this parking near the big public beaches, and yet they've shown no concern at all about the really serious problem of blocking off public parking by private homeowners," Price told the radio station.
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