Police are apologizing after Don Bartole, 81, and wife Doreen, 82, were verbally berated by an officer who took issue with the placement of their garage sale signs. (Stuart Dryden, QMI Agency)

CALGARY - Police are apologizing to an elderly couple whose son says they were confronted by a rude officer and given an unwarranted tongue-lashing in front of witnesses, threatening to fine them for putting up garage sale signs.

Witnesses say the seniors were reduced to tears after the run-in with police which led to the couple shutting down the sale.

"My mom is 82 and didn't even know what he was saying and my dad, who is 81, was embarrassed," Don Bartole said of the incident near the couple's Temple home.

"He told him he needed a permit and could give him a $200 ticket."

His dad, Don Sr., was so shaken, he fetched his signs and cancelled the sale.

"My wife was very upset, I'm an old-age pensioner, I'm not paying a $200 fine," the senior Bartole said, adding he has used the same signs for the past eight years and stressed he takes them down each night. "You make $40 or $50 ... Why are they picking on us when everyone has signs?"

The officer stopped by later to apologize to their daughter, but the couple had already cancelled the sale and plan to give the goods to charity.

Bartole Jr. says he went to police to complain about the incident and get clarification on garage sale laws only to be reprimanded for his attitude and told to take his beef to bylaw officials.

"There are signs posted all over, it's pretty ridiculous," he said Wednesday.

"Don't police have better things to do? I've got 10 people who blow through the stop sign in the school zone nearby every day."

Bylaw boss Bill Bruce said there is a limit of three signs, which can only be put up the day of or day prior to a sale and cannot be placed on centre medians, travel islands or attached to traffic signs.

Violators can face a $75 fine for infractions, but there are no rules banning signs.

Neighbour Sylvia Patz said she and several others who witnessed the run-in were saddened by its aftermath.

"I was very upset to see tears on both their faces," she said.

"It hurt me our police would do that because I admire the guys, but I just think it was too much to pester old, helpless people. They deserve an apology."

Insp. Geoff Gawlinski said the incident could have been better handled.

He said the officer involved saw a number of signs, including one of the Bartole's, on a traffic-control device in an intersection prompting safety concerns.

"We want to apologize on behalf of Calgary Police Service for any distress caused to the Bartole family," he said.

"I will, personally, look into this to make sure our staff is educated on the bylaws to understand what powers they are acting upon when they intervene in the community."

nadia.moharib@sunmedia.ca