335 Wrecker Regulation

Question 1

Functions of the Unit

Answer 1

The Wrecker Regulation Unit has the responsibility of ensuring vehicles (including aircraft and vessels) impounded by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) are accounted for, securely stored, and disposed of in compliance with applicable laws and chain of custody. Additionally, it ensures the components of this order are followed to the extent of managing Top of the List (TOL) wrecker firms, billing, impoundment hearings, disposal of vehicles, maintenance of records, and responding to citizen inquiries.

Question 2

It shall be the policy of JSO that impoundment of motor vehicles, conveyances, or vessels occurs only when?

Answer 2

absolutely necessary

Question 3

Only __________ firms can be used to tow impounded vehicles

Answer 3

TOL wrecker

Question 4

A hold placed on a vehicle requires the vehicle not be released to the owner/lien holder until the initiating _______________ assigned the case has removed the hold. Holds are temporary, and as such are self-canceling in _________, excluding weekends and holidays

Answer 4

initiating officer/detective,

five days

Question 5

Extended holds are holds extended beyond five days for?

Answer 5

investigatory or evidentiary reasons

Question 6

the taking of a vehicle without consent for the purpose of satisfying a statutory requirement

Answer 6

Seizure

Question 7

the transfer of ownership of a vehicle, which has been used in violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, Florida State Statutes (F.S.S.) 932.701-932.707 to the seizing agency

Answer 7

Forfeiture

Question 8

_____________ is defined and applies to a vehicle or conveyance, subject to City of Jacksonville (COJ) Municipal Ordinance (MO) 804.1101, 804.633 or F.S.S. 323.001, that has been towed with or without the consent of the owner by a TOL wrecker firm at the direction of the Sheriff or designee

Answer 8

Impound

Question 9

What municipal ordinance provides the authority to impound vehicles?

Answer 9

MO-804

Question 10

Every time a vehicle, conveyance, or vessel is towed as a TOL request by JSO what must occur?

Answer 10

ARMS is used to create a NOIR

Question 11

Do owners requests for wreckers require an NOIR?

Answer 11

No

Question 12

In life-threatening situations, a __________________ may directly request a TOL wrecker through the JSO Communications Center to enhance rescue operations

Answer 12

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) supervisor

Question 13

Who will complete the NOIR upon arrival at the scene.

Answer 13

The responding officer after being notified by NCIC or the zone PECO

Question 14

Prior to impoundment, unless ___________________________________, officers shall conduct a complete inventory of the vehicle.

Answer 14

the vehicle is being towed for evidentiary processing

Question 15

If the vehicle is being towed for evidentiary processing, an inventory of items ________________ without contaminating the vehicle shall be documented on the NOIR.

Answer 15

visually observed

Question 16

When a vehicle is impounded, and the owner is present, officers will complete the NOIR and have the owner __________________

Answer 16

sign the Signature Form

Question 17

When a vehicle is impounded (not for evidentiary value), and the owner is not present, the Notice of Impoundment shall be served by

Answer 17

the wrecker firm towing the vehicle as set forth in MO 804.1204.

Question 18

Within __________ business days the wrecker firm shall notify the owner of the vehicle impoundment via certified mail.

Answer 18

seven

Question 19

When a vehicle is impounded and the owner refuses to sign the notice, the officer shall

Answer 19

note in comment section of Sig form and in the comments of the NOIR.

Question 20

When multiple vehicles are towed under the same CCR number, is a Signature Form (P-0214) will be completed for each vehicle?

Answer 20

yes

Question 21

Pursuant to MO 804.1103(a), any time a vehicle is impounded and the owner wishes to contest the charges for the towing and storage, the vehicle will be released by the towing facility via the procedures below:

Answer 21

(1) The owner may regain possession of the impounded vehicle from the wrecker firm without prepayment of towing and storage charges by presenting proof of ownership to the wrecker firm and posting a cash or surety bond in the amount of the accrued towing and storage charges;
(2) The owner has five business days to contact the Wrecker Regulation Unit to request a hearing as to the propriety of the impoundment and the owner’s liability for the towing and storage charges; and
(3) Impounded vehicles with a hold for investigation designation will not be released until the hold is removed.

Question 22

For an owner’s request, the officer will provide NCIC with the name of the wrecker firm, dealership, or garage along with what three things?

Answer 22

the requesting party’s name, address, and phone number.

Question 23

Is an NOIR required with an owner’s request?

Answer 23

No

Question 24

TOL wrecker firms are expected to respond to the scene within _____ minutes of receipt of the call.

Answer 24

20

Question 25

If the TOL wrecker is attached to a vehicle, but the vehicle driver arrives before it can be moved

Answer 25

a partial fee of up to half of the current hookup fee may be charged by the towing firm

Question 26

If the driver/owner in lawful possession arrives before the TOL wrecker has been attached, and the vehicle can be released to this person

Answer 26

the TOL wrecker firm cannot charge a fee

Question 27

If the wrecker has not been attached and the vehicle can be released to the owner what action is taken by the officer?

Answer 27

a parking ticket shall be issued and NCIC is notified to place TOL back on top of the list

Question 28

In cases involving a physical arrest with the impoundment of a vehicle, the arresting officer shall note on the Arrest & Booking Report the:

Answer 28

a. Vehicle's year, make, model, and tag number; b. Wrecker firm’s name and address and/or location where the vehicle is being impounded; and c. Officers should remind wrecker drivers to furnish the owner/operator with a business card and a rate schedule.

Question 29

In lieu of impoundment, arrestees may have their vehicles handled according to their request, including _______________ ___________, if they so authorize.

Answer 29

leaving the vehicle unattended, legally parked and secured,

Question 30

When the vehicle is not impounded, but handled according to the owner’s choice

Answer 30

the Signature Form (P-0214) shall be used to obtain the authorization and location (Vehicle Verification section) description (Property/Comments/Miscellaneous Information section), and signature (Victim/Owner’s Signature Section).

Question 31

In lieu of impoundment, owners may request their vehicle be left unattended on a public street. JSO may honor the request for a period of time not exceeding ________.

Answer 31

24 hours

Question 32

Owner’s requests are handled entirely differently than TOL requests and are not subject to the same rules and regulations of a TOL tow, such as a ___________ response time or rotation within a towing zone. An owner’s request does not require the completion of an ________.

Answer 32

20 minute, NOIR

Question 33

defines unattended conveyances, provides the authority to impound and store them, and describes the steps required before doing so.

Answer 33

MO 804.633

Question 34

Unattended posted vehicles should be towed by a junk/abandoned wrecker requested through NCIC. Requests for a junk/abandoned wrecker shall be made during

Answer 34

normal business hours, 0800 – 1700, Monday – Friday, weekends and holidays excluded.

Question 35

________will be completed on all abandoned/unattended vehicles towed.

Answer 35

a NOIR

Question 36

An abandoned or derelict vehicle on private or commercial property shall be processed by one of the following methods: [CALEA 61.4.3]

Answer 36

a. The Code Enforcement Unit of the Public Works Department, COJ cites vehicles on private residential property; b. When a JSO employee is informed of unattended vehicles on private property the caller is referred to City Link at (904) 630-CITY (2489) or COJ website at www.COJ.net; c. The property owner or manager removes vehicles on commercial property, in compliance with F.S.S. 715.07, (e.g., shopping centers, apartment complexes, public parking lots, etc.).

Question 37

The officer will submit a TOL request using the ARMS (NOIR) application and place “vehicle has an expired 24 hour notice” or “Junk TOL” in the special instructions field on the request. The officer will make a voice announcement on the NCIC radio ___________________ so the correct wrecker rotation will be used.

Answer 37

“This is a Junk TOL”

Question 38

The officer shall select “______ _________” in the “Reason Vehicle Towed” field of the NOIR.

Answer 38

Unattended Conveyance

Question 39

All efforts should be exhausted to release recovered aircraft, watercraft, and large equipment to the owner or owner’s representative at the scene. These items should only be towed under the following circumstances: [CFA 30.02]

Answer 39

a. An owner or owner’s representative cannot retrieve the item; b. The item must be processed for evidence and that processing cannot feasibly be completed at the scene; or c. The item is being seized for forfeiture.

Question 40

When Impounding or Seizing Aircraft, who must be notified?

Answer 40

Commanding Officer of the Aviation Unit

Question 41

Officers shall have vehicles/vessels stored without holds when:

Answer 41

a. The vehicle/vessel owner cannot respond to the scene within a reasonable time (approximately 30 minutes); b. The owner of the vehicle/vessel cannot be contacted; c. The driver of the vehicle/vessel flees the scene; or d. The vehicle/vessel is found occupied or abandoned under suspicious circumstances (i.e., car belongs to a dealership and is found after hours out of place, the vehicle has a stolen tag affixed to it, occupant(s) has an auto theft arrest history, etc.).

Question 42

If the owner cannot be located to verify ownership when these circumstances exist, the vehicle should be stored without a hold and an information report will be completed and routed to

Answer 42

Auto Crimes Unit, include details: suspicious circumstances, contact info, verified identity of those present, efforts made to contact owner, location being to towed to.

Question 43

A hold for investigation is self-canceling in __________ excluding weekends and holidays. Therefore, the decision to hold a vehicle shall be made on well-founded facts to support the hold. The fact a hold is self-canceling in five days is not justification to hold a vehicle when facts do not support the hold.

Answer 43

Five days

Question 44

JSO will be responsible for any _____________ exceeding five days if the vehicle is not transferred to a JSO storage facility.

Answer 44

storage charges

Question 45

Officers of JSO _____ ______ place JSO holds on vehicles for local agencies with concurrent jurisdiction

Answer 45

will not

Question 46

The following are specific circumstances for which a hold shall be placed on the vehicle for investigation by the responsible unit:

Answer 46

1.The driver of a vehicle was involved in a criminal or suspicious act and flees the scene leaving the vehicle, and the driver is not known. 2.The vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run accident and has evidentiary value. 3.The vehicle was involved in a fatal traffic accident or there is a possibility death will occur and felony charges may be filed. 4.The vehicle's VIN has been burned where it is no longer readable, altered, or tampered with and the ownership of the vehicle cannot be confirmed. 5.A vehicle cannot be processed at the scene EXCEPTIONS FOR 1 AND 2, IF OWNER CAN BE REACHED THE VEHICLE CAN BE RELEASED OR STORED WITHOUT A HOLD.

Question 47

An officer placing a forfeiture hold on a vehicle must complete and submit a forfeiture packet within __ ____ of the vehicle being towed. See Order 395 (Forfeiture).

Answer 47

24 HOURS

Question 48

If a forfeiture packet is not received by the Forfeiture Unit within _____ business days of the original hold date, the hold will self-cancel.

Answer 48

five

Question 49

Before an officer can place a DHSMV hold on a vehicle he must verify the driver is the __________________________ of the vehicle. If the driver is the owner or co-owner the officer shall complete a NOIR and place the vehicle on hold for DHSMV;

Answer 49

registered owner or co-owner

Question 50

DHSMV holds can only be removed by the

Answer 50

Wrecker Regulation Unit.

Question 51

Holds for investigation and extended holds will be removed in the following manner:

Answer 51

a. Patrol officers will be responsible for removing holds placed for patrol; b. Each detective unit will be responsible for holds placed for their respective unit; c. CSU detectives will remove holds once the processing has been completed; d. All holds will be removed using the ARMS (NOIR). Only under circumstances when a computer is not accessible will the officer/detective contact NCIC to remove the hold; e. Vehicles with holds or extended holds from multiple units (e.g., Homicide and Robbery) must have the hold or extended hold released by the lead investigator within each unit when the investigation is completed. Coordination