If you spent any time watching A&E during the late 2000s, you probably have a love-hate relationship with the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Most people hated the tickets but loved the chaos. At the center of that chaos was a man who became an unlikely reality TV icon: Steve Garfield. Usually just called "Garfield" by his colleagues and irate Philadelphians alike, he was the guy with the metal "boot" in his hand and a surprisingly calm demeanor in the face of absolute rage.
But here is the thing.
When the cameras stopped rolling in 2012, most fans lost track of the "Inspector Gadget" of the PPA. You’ve probably seen the reruns on late-night TV or YouTube clips where he and his partner Sherry Royal are getting yelled at in the "Badlands" of Philly. It feels like those moments happened yesterday, yet the real story of what happened to Steve Garfield after Parking Wars is a mix of a quiet retirement and a final chapter that many fans are only just now discovering.
Why Steve Garfield Was the Heart of Parking Wars
Reality TV usually thrives on villains. While the people getting booted certainly saw Garfield as the villain, the audience saw something else. He was a "gadget geek." He carried around tools and devices like he was preparing for a mission, not just clamping a yellow lock onto a Ford Taurus.
Garfield and Sherry Royal were the quintessential work married couple. Their banter was the soul of the show. Sherry had the "fastest fingers on the Eastern Seaboard" when it came to the paperwork, and Garfield did the heavy lifting. He was old-school. He didn't want Sherry lugging those heavy boots around if he was there to do it. It wasn't about whether she could do it; it was about his personal code of conduct.
The Dynamic That Made It Work
Most reality shows are scripted to the moon and back. Parking Wars felt different because you can't fake the raw, unadulterated anger of a guy who just found out his car is being impounded. Garfield had this specific way of handling people. He wasn't aggressive. He was almost matter-of-fact, which, ironically, usually made people even angrier.
- The Gadgets: He loved his tech. Whether it was a new scanner or just a better way to organize his van, he was always tinkering.
- The Cats: Fans still talk about the episode where Garfield had to put his cat, Mrs. P, to sleep. It was one of the few times the show dropped the "angry citizen" formula for something deeply human.
- The Partnership: He and Sherry fought like siblings. In one famous Season 2 flashback, they had a heated argument about timing and getting home to kids, only to end the day with a hug. That was the Garfield appeal.
What Happened After the PPA?
Garfield didn't stay a booter forever. You can only be screamed at on the streets of Philadelphia for so many decades before you want a little peace and quiet. According to PPA records and fan communities, Steve Garfield officially retired from the Philadelphia Parking Authority around 2015.
He didn't chase the Hollywood spotlight. He didn't try to start a spin-off or become a professional influencer. He basically did what any Philly native would do: he took his pension and went to live his life. He spent time with his family, including his wife Audrey and his children. He continued to be a huge animal lover, which was something that always peeked through his "tough booter" exterior on the show.
A Common Misconception
There is often a bit of confusion online because there is another Steve Garfield—a well-known video blogger and tech expert from Boston. If you Google the name, you might see a "pioneer of vlogging" who worked with Jimmy Fallon. That is not the Garfield from Parking Wars. Our Garfield was a lifelong Philadelphian, a PPA veteran, and a man who arguably had the thickest skin in reality television history.
The Passing of a Reality Icon
Sadly, for those who grew up watching him, Steve Garfield passed away on April 15, 2021. He was 71 years old.
The news didn't make massive national headlines because, by 2021, Parking Wars had been off the air for nearly a decade. However, the outpouring of grief in the "legacy" guestbooks and on Reddit was massive. Fans from the UK, where the show is surprisingly popular, posted tributes. They remembered him as a "gentle soul" who just happened to have a very difficult job.
His obituary mentioned his love for his grandchildren and his wife, Audrey. It was a stark contrast to the man we saw dodging insults on South Street. He wasn't the "booter" at home; he was a husband, a father, and a grandfather.
The Legacy of the "Booting Squad"
Why does a show about parking tickets still have a cult following in 2026? It’s because it was a perfect snapshot of urban life. It showed the friction between the people who have to enforce the rules and the people who feel the rules are rigged against them.
Garfield was the perfect avatar for that friction. He never seemed to take it personally. To him, the boot was just a job. To the person whose car was being locked, it was a catastrophe. Managing that gap for seven seasons made him a legend.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to revisit the Garfield era or want to know more about the show's history:
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- Watch the "Lost Pilot": There is a documentary titled Parking Wars that aired before the series became a hit. It features a younger Garfield and provides a much more "raw" look at the PPA before it became a polished TV production.
- Check A&E’s Vault: Most of the Garfield and Sherry episodes are available on the A&E website or through their YouTube channel under "Classic Parking Wars" clips.
- Avoid the "Vlogger" Confusion: When researching his life, ensure you are looking for Steven Garfield of Philadelphia, not the tech writer from Boston.
Steve Garfield proved that you don't have to be a hero to be memorable. You just have to be yourself, even when someone is screaming in your face about a $200 fine. He remained the most relatable part of a show that reminded us all: no matter who you are, the PPA will eventually find you.