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police departments and towing companies
Posted on 1/11/17 at 5:39 am
Posted on 1/11/17 at 5:39 am
Forgive my ignorance in this topic. Do police departments typically contract a particular tow company, or are they required to use several different companies to avoid conflicts of interest?
I live in a town of about 25,000. A police officer that lives near me always has both a police cruiser and a tow truck at his residence. The tow truck is from a large tow company here. It always struck me as odd, but for all I know it could be common practice.
Any thoughts?
I live in a town of about 25,000. A police officer that lives near me always has both a police cruiser and a tow truck at his residence. The tow truck is from a large tow company here. It always struck me as odd, but for all I know it could be common practice.
Any thoughts?
Posted on 1/11/17 at 6:14 am to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
quote:
Any thoughts?
Yeah; anyone that doesn't think someone is getting paid is delusional.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 7:52 am to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
What our city here does is receive bids for towing service and go from there, just like with any other big ticket item.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 8:21 am to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
Athens bidded it out to the lowest price.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 8:23 am to blue_morrison
quote:
What our city here does is receive bids for towing service and go from there, just like with any other big ticket item.
But the police department wouldn't be the ones paying to have it towed right? The owner of the car would pay that when they went to retrieve their car?
Posted on 1/11/17 at 9:11 am to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
Depends. Some places contract for towing services when the governmental body is footing the bill - which would be the case for a city vehicle or a private vehicle being towed as part of a criminal investigation.
Around here, for towing vehicles involved in wrecks or otherwise interfering with traffic, they 911 center has a rotation list of towing services that ask to be on it. They simply work down the list as the need arises.
Around here, for towing vehicles involved in wrecks or otherwise interfering with traffic, they 911 center has a rotation list of towing services that ask to be on it. They simply work down the list as the need arises.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 10:42 am to DesignTiger
For the most part that is correct, yes.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:14 pm to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
Here is the succinct and accurate answer to your question OP.
Municipalities and county and state governments (Highway Patrol) are required, all over the country, to work from a rotating pool.
Typically, for a towing company to get into a pool they must:
1 - Have a minimum of three trucks in service and being willing to send all three to a scene at any one time.
2 - Must meet all insurance requirements.
3 - Must have a clean service record.
4 - Must be current on all city, county, state and federal taxes including withholding taxes.
5 - Available 24/7/365 including holidays and during emergencies (hurricanes, etc).
6 - Agree to set fees for city/county/state tows.
Once they meet all the requirements and sign all the paperwork and get passed by the governing body they go into the pool and are rotated by the dispatcher.
Municipalities and county and state governments (Highway Patrol) are required, all over the country, to work from a rotating pool.
Typically, for a towing company to get into a pool they must:
1 - Have a minimum of three trucks in service and being willing to send all three to a scene at any one time.
2 - Must meet all insurance requirements.
3 - Must have a clean service record.
4 - Must be current on all city, county, state and federal taxes including withholding taxes.
5 - Available 24/7/365 including holidays and during emergencies (hurricanes, etc).
6 - Agree to set fees for city/county/state tows.
Once they meet all the requirements and sign all the paperwork and get passed by the governing body they go into the pool and are rotated by the dispatcher.
Posted on 1/11/17 at 9:45 pm to scrooster
This is correct and usually based on population. Usually there is a rotation (daily, weekly, bi weekly, etc) and the fees are owners obligation, but regulated by local government. However, I would think it would be a conflict of interest for a police officer to be on a towing contract.
Posted on 1/12/17 at 12:39 am to AllUrCrootsRBlong2Us
How do you know a cop and a tow truck driver aren't roommates?
Maybe he picked up a side job at night as a tow truck driver?
Maybe the tow truck company contracts him to do repossessions because those can get dicy and cops are used to that stuff?
Maybe he picked up a side job at night as a tow truck driver?
Maybe the tow truck company contracts him to do repossessions because those can get dicy and cops are used to that stuff?
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