David Clarke, sheriff of Milwaukee County, gave himself the ticket after a colleague failed to move the vehicle.

He said: “I pulled up in front of the War Memorial, got out of my squad car and directed a Captain to move the vehicle and properly park it.

“That order was not followed. When I came out of the Veterans Day event and noticed the vehicle still there and found out that my order was not followed, I ordered a county citation be written on the vehicle.”

He paid the $35 fine and gave an addition $200 to a charity for the disabled.

The sheriff also ordered an investigation into the incident but acknowledged he was wrong to park there.

“The rules are the same for my squad as any car except in an emergency or official business but not in a handicap area,” he said.

Milwaukee County had a similar incident in 2007 when police chief Richard Knoebel issued himself a ticket after passing a school bus that had its stop sign out and lights flashing.