by Rebecca Hughes

A police officer is being investigated after an angry parent photographed her van parked on zig-zag lines outside a school.

The inquiry was launched after parents spotted the van parked outside Hoo St Werburgh Primary on October 11.

The vehicle was parked on the yellow lines in a "no stopping" zone.

It was also blocking the view of other drivers, creating a potentially dangerous situation outside the school.

The police community support officer had left the van parked while she chatted to pupils and their parents.

The pictures of the police van were taken by parent Jason Clark, who accused the police of having double standards.

He said: "The vehicle should not have been parked there and it was causing an obstruction. It was blocking the view of vehicles coming up and down the road, while obviously being illegally parked.

"My issue here is that the PCSO who was driving was not answering an emergency call and was stood chatting to everyone coming up the road.

"This is same PCSO who also takes great delight in asking all the parents who park up the road and occasionally mount the pavement, to move.

"I am cross because they are always moving parents off on the grounds of safety yet they feel because they are police they can break the rules.

"It appears it is one rule for one and one rule for another." Medway’s Acting Ch Insp,
Richard Cherry, said: "Kent Police takes reports of this nature very seriously and the incident is currently under investigation.

"Where evidence of an alleged road traffic offence or parking offence is brought to our notice, we will review any such evidence placed before us and deal with the incident in the most appropriate manner.

"Options available to us include issuing a fixed penalty notice or a report for summons."