Traffic violations officer Tania Ledesma became legendary as a meter maid for South Miami police. In a 1985 profile, Herald writer Francine Barron wrote: “Walking for eight hours in Florida heat and thunderstorms, rarely taking a break, shouldering the abuse from outraged citizens who arrive at their cars an instant too late, Ledesma is intimately acquainted with the perils of the parking violations officer. She loves her job.” Other meter maids also found reasons to smile sometimes.
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Inside page (page 2 section letter SE) of the NEIGHBORS section of the FINAL edition of The Miami Herald issue published Thursday, June 29, 1978 in Miami, Florida. Features HEY, CITY HALL! 'MAIDS' SHOWING TOO MUCH LEG? with associated photograph "Gables meter maid Karen Mollicone models cool, 15-inch culottes" by JOE RIMKUS JR./Miami Herald Staff

5/1/1959: Bob East/Miami Herald Staff -- The girls really took to it with a passion -- this poor guy parked on Biscayne Boulevard with the red flag upon his meter got caught by Ruth Siegel, Georgia Ganzos, Frances Lechleitner, and Susan Rimland; but only for the picture.

Undated photo circa 1959: Official City of Miami News Bureau photo -- Miami Police Department meter maids are shown in a photo provided by the city's public relations department. They're shown seemingly receiving from a male official the books of parking tickets they will write.

Photo dated January 11, 1961, published January 12, 1961 with caption: "Herald Photo by Tom Morgan -- Meter Maid Mrs. Louise Powell is shown 'pounding the beat' on her first day with the police department. She will handle meter collections and parking tickets. Previously Mrs. Powell drove a school bus. She is Naples' fourth woman on the force but her predecessors handled only desk work." Uniform has insignia of Naples, Fla. Police Department. She is shown with ticket book at an expired parking meter. This photo is stamped "Non-Staff Photo" on the back but the printed credit in the caption seems to indicate it is a Miami Herald photo.

Published August 27, 1960: Herald Staff Photo by Jacque Janecek -- This Parking Meter Checker Hoofs It Now. Helen Sheppard's scooter broke. MELBOURNE -- Parking tickets will run a little scarce around here for a few days. The city's lone meter maid has an out-of-kilter scooter. Overparking is Miss Shepard's business and she likes it. "My secret is to keep smiling," she grins, "and they usually calm right down."

Published September 17, 1967: Herald Staff Photo by Jim Kelly -- Fort Myers reduces town parking meters. Truck driver forgot to put his nickel in. Meter maid Ruth Stewart writes him a ticket.

Photo dated July 29, 1960: "Non-staff photo" of a meter maid watching a young woman in a short skirt using a parking meter in a tropical city setting. Insignia on the meter maids' uniform seem to be for a generic metered parking system. This photo may have been provided by a parking meter supplier. The photo is obviously contrived and professionally lit (notice the shadow of the meter maid's body cast sideways onto the back of the motorcycle by studio style lighting).

Photo dated July 29, 1960: "Non-staff photo" of a meter maid watching a young woman in a short skirt using a parking meter in a tropical city setting. Insignia on the meter maids' uniform seem to be for a generic metered parking system. This photo may have been provided by a parking meter supplier.

Published 6/29/1978: Joe Rimkus Jr./Miami Herald Staff -- Meter Maid Karen Mollicone modeling short skirt for meter maids in Coral Gables.

Published 8/25/1985: Rick McCawley/Miami Herald Staff -- Tania Ledesma, meter maid for the South Miami Police Department, prepares her ticket book in front of cart, which she parks away from traffic and then walks her beat.

Published May 3, 1959: Bob East/Miami Herald Staff -- Policewomen Keep Ticketin', Women Drivers Keep Cussin'. These are Miami's Meter Maids -- Lined up and ready to go. From left: Georgia Genzos, Ruth Siegel, Susan Rinlanz and Frances Lechleitner. Miami's lady parking meter "cops" -- only 13 days on duty -- are already outwriting their male colleagues in the ticket category, two to one. This photo has been retouched for publication by the original newspaper artist.

May 19, 1988: Tim Chapman/Miami Herald Staff -- Kim Diamanti, parking enforcement officer (Meter Maid) for Coral Gables. Published May 23, 1988.

Published 8/25/1985: Rick McCawley/Miami Herald Staff -- Tania Ledesma, South Miami Police Department meter maid, tickets a car on Sunset near Red Road.

May 19, 1988: Tim Chapman/Miami Herald Staff -- Writing a parking ticket along the Miracle Mile is Kim Diamanti, parking enforcement officer (Meter Maid) for Coral Gables. The City Hall is in the background; her Cushman scooter on the right. Published May 23, 1988.