Policy Text
Page 1 of 18 General Order 8-7 (03/27/23 )
INVENTORY, TOWING, SEIZURE, STORAGE AND ABANDONDED VEHICLES
RICHMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
Subject: INVENTORY, TOWING, SEIZURE,
STORAGE , AND ABANDONED VEHICLES
Chapter
8 Number
7 Pages
18
REFERENCES :
CALEA Standards: 1.2.4, 61.4.3 a, 61.4.3b,
61.4.3c, 84.1.1 a, 84.1.1b, 84.1.1c, 84.1.1e,
84.1.1f , 84.1.1g, 84.1.2, 84.1.3
VA Codes: §4.1-311, §4.1-339-348, §18.2-47,
§18.2-346, §18.2-357, §19.2-386.16, §19.2-
386.22, §19.2-386.30, , §46.2-301.1, §46.2-
1211, §46.2-865, §46.2-867, §58.1-3503
Richmond City Codes: §102 -327, §102-361,
§102-362, §102-362.1, §102-363
Related Orders:
G.O. 1 -6, Search and Seizure
G.O. 3 -12, Handling
Property and Evidence
G.O. 6 -5, Uniform Notice of
Violation (UNOV ) Effective Date: 03/27/2023
Revised By: Review
Prv. Rev. Date: 02/11/2019
Chief of Police:
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this directive is to establish the policy and procedure for towing, seizure
and storage of motor vehicles , and to provide the proper guidelines for conducting motor
vehicle inventory . It shall also be the policy and procedure for removing a bandoned
vehicles on public and private property.
II. SUMMARY OF CHANGE
This policy is due for triannual review, and there are no updated changes.
III. POLICY
It is the policy of the Richmond Police Department to keep an accurate record of all
movements and disp ositions of motor vehicles towed or seized by Richmond Police
Department employees or authorized agents and any valuables left in them . [CALEA 61.4.3 c]
IV. ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT
All employees are expected to fully comply with the guidelines and timelin es outlined in
this general order. Failure to comply will result in appropriate corrective action.
Responsibility rests with the Division Commander to ensure that any violations of policy
are investigated and appropriate training, counseling , and/or disc iplinary action is initiated.
Page 2 of 18 - General Order 8-7 - (03/27/23 )
INVENTORY, TOWING, SEIZURE, STORAGE AND ABANDONDED VEHICLES
This directive is for internal use only and does not enlarge an employee’s civil liability in
any way. It should not be construed as the creation of a higher standard of safety or case in
an evidentiary sense, concerning th ird-party claims. Violation of this directive, if proven,
can only form the basis of a complaint by this Department, and then only in a non -judicial
administrative setting.
V. DEFINITIONS
A. ABAN DONED MOTOR VEHICLE – Any motor vehicle, trailer , semitrailer , or
part of a motor vehicle, trailer , or semitrailer that:
1. Is inoperable and is left unattended on public property for more than 48
hours;
2. Has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours;
3. Has remained for more than 48 hours on private pr operty without the
consent of the property’s owner, regardless of whether it was brought onto
the private property with the consent of the owner or person in control of the
private property;
4. Is inoperable, left unattended, or both on an interstate highway or on the
shoulder of a primary highway.
B. INOPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLE – Any motor vehicle or trailer or semi -trailer
that:
1. Is not in operating condition; or ,
2. If on private property , for 60 days or longer has been partially or
disassembled by the removal of tires and wheels, the engine or other
essential parts required for the operation of the vehicle; or,
3. On which there are displayed neither valid license plates nor a valid
inspection decal (this means the vehicle must be missing both valid license
plates and valid inspection decal) .
C. INOPERABLE ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE – Any abandoned motor
vehicle which is inoperable and which the fair market value, as determined by the
locality’s official responsible for assessing motor vehicles under Code of Virgin ia
§58.1 -3503, is less than the cost of its restoration to an operable condition.
D. UNATTENDED MOTOR VEHICLE – Any motor vehicle, trailer, semi -trailer , or
part of a motor vehicle, trailer , or semi -trailer that:
Page 3 of 18 - General Order 8-7 - (03/27/23 )
INVENTORY, TOWING, SEIZURE, STORAGE AND ABANDONDED VEHICLES 1.