Drivers in downtown Crestview will soon find orange warning citations on their windshields if they park facing against the flow of traffic on Main Street, Police Chief Stephen McCosker announced.

• The warnings are part of an educational campaign initiated by the Crestview Police Department following the completion of a downtown beautification project that converted parking spaces to parallel parking.

“We noticed that there was an increase of complaints about this and through further observation, we realized that there’s a lot of people who aren’t aware of that fact,” McCosker said in a video posted to social media.

The police chief emphasized that vehicles must be parked with the flow of traffic, meaning the passenger side door should face the curb.

Civilian employees will issue orange warning citations to incorrectly parked vehicles as part of the campaign. These warnings will explain why the parking method violates proper procedure.

“We appreciate your cooperation and stay safe,” McCosker said.