7 On Your Side Investigates: Retired NYPD officer creates makeshift driveway

STATEN ISLAND, New York City (WABC) -- People living in one Staten Island neighborhood are accusing New York City officials of playing favorites and allowing a retired police officer to break traffic laws on their block.

Residents on West Buchanan Street called 7 On Your Side Investigates to complain after they say their prior complaints to 311 were closed without resolutions.

The residents said a retired police officer on their block had used cones and cinder blocks to section off a portion of the public street and sidewalk to use as his own personal driveway.

"It is a problem," one resident said. "It's very hard. You've got to try at least three or four times to turn around and not bump his canisters."

Eyewitness News reached out to the New York City Department of Transportation.

City code prohibits individuals from parking on sidewalks, and a spokesperson from DOT confirmed the cones were also in violation of city laws.

Officials removed the cones that were creating the makeshift driveway outside the retired officer's home.

The NYPD also issued a warning, according to a department spokesperson.

When Eyewitness News returned, the cones were gone -- but the retired officer was still using the sidewalk to park.

We noticed a note on his car informing passersby that he was a retired officer, and anyone needing to pass could knock and he would remove the car.

With the cone barriers gone, neighbors said this was a compromise with which they could live.

"To me personally, I thought he should have done it a long time ago," a resident said.

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