Policy Text
San Francisco Police Department 9.06
GENERAL ORDER Rev. 09/17/ 25
Eff. 11 /21/25
Page 1 of 5
Vehicle Tows
9.06.01 PURPOSE
This General O rder establishes Department policy and procedures relating to towing, placing
holds, and releasing towed vehicles by members of the Department.
9.06.02 POLICY
It is the policy of the San Francisco Police Department that members tow vehicles only when
authorized by law.
In evaluating the reasonableness of warrantless vehicle tows and impounds, the decision to tow any vehicle should be based on the totality of circumstances, must be reasonable, and in furtherance of public safety.
9.06.03 PROCEDURES
A. TOWS
1. Supervisory Approval – Members should obtain approval from a supervisory officer
before towing a vehicle pursuant to an arrest.
2. Ordering Tow Trucks
a. Members should refer to SFPD Form 574, Department Impound Guide for
tow authorities and examples of when a vehicle may be towed based on the Community Caretaking Doctrine.
b. Members shall only order tows from the T ow Desk. Proof of tow truck
dispatch will be checked by the member prior to vehicle being hooked up. Tow truck drivers will display proof of dispatch upon request by a member on an electronic device, indicating what vehicle they are dispatched to tow. Members shall not allow tow companies to solicit tows at any scene. This is a misdemeanor violation of CVC § 22513.
3. Removal from Traffic Crash Scenes – When a vehicle has been involved in a
vehicle crash and must be removed from the scene because of disabling damage, and is not needed for evidence, the member should allow the driver (if not transported for
medical treatment) to contact their own tow company, (only if the disabled vehicle is
not causing an immediate traffic hazard and the private party tow will be in there in a
reasonable amount of time ), prior to ordering a tow through Tow Desk (DGO 9.02,
Vehicle Crashes ).
4. Tows from Arrest Scenes
a. Do not tow the vehicle of the arrested driver when :
• Their vehicle is legally parked .
DGO 9.06
Rev. 09/17/25
Eff. 11 /21/25
Page 2 of 5
• A member can move t he vehicle to a readily available spot close by .
b. Do tow the vehicle of the arrested driver:
• For investigative purposes ( CVC §22655.5).
• To ensure the safe flow of traffic , prevent hazards, and protect
against theft or vandalism ( CVC §22650).
• At the request of the arrested person.
c. Mem
bers have the discretion to allow the arrested person to contact their own
tow company, so long as the response time of the tow company is reasonable
and does not exceed 30 minutes.
5. Tows Regarding CVC §14601/12500 – Members shall cite the driver and should
tow the driver’s vehicle when their driver’s license is suspended/revoked, or when the driver has never been issued a driver’s license. The decision to tow the vehicle must
be reasonable and in the furtherance of public safety (SFPD 574). Note: If a vehicle is
impounded, members shall give the driver of the impounded vehicle a SFPD 387
form.
a. One of the following circumstances must also be present:
i. CLETS/DMV records confirm the driver of the vehicle has been
convicted and given notice at least once for a CVC §14601/12500
related violation in the past, under tow authority CVC §14602.6,
OR
ii. CLETS/DMV records confirm the registered owner is the driver and has a driver’s license restriction requiring an Ignition Interlock Device (IID), and one is not present on the vehicle. Note: Driver can have a
valid license that requires an IID. If an IID is not present, the vehicle
shall be towed.
B. Property Inventory – For all tows, property should be inventoried using the ‘Inventory of
Towed Vehicles ’ form (Tow Slip) . The purpose of the inventory search is to protect an
owner’s property while in police custody (not to further a criminal investigation), to provide for the safety of members, and to protect the Department against fraudulent claims of lost, stolen, or damaged property. Members may search anywhere inside the vehicle including
consoles, glove boxes, under the seats, inside the trunk , and inside any container of the
vehicle .
1. When the vehicle of an arrested person contains an item of extraordinary value, but towing is not warranted, the item may be booked according to Department procedures
(DGO 6.15, Property Processing ). Absent a recognized warrant exception, the member
should obtain the vehicle owner’s consent to take possession of the item of value. An arrested person's vehicle should not be towed simply because it contains an item of value .
2. Firearms - If a firearm is located in the vehicle, confiscate the weapon, even though
the firearm or vehicle may not be connected to an offense. NO FIREARMS SHALL EVER BE LEFT IN A TOWED VEHICLE. Complete a property receipt form (SFPD 315), attach it to the vehicle, and book the firearm as "Property for Safekeeping." In addition, complete an incident report describing the circumstances. Do not place a
DGO 9.06
Rev. 09/17/25
Eff. 11 /