Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
Page 1
4.18 Traffic Ancillary Services
4.18.11 Tow Policy (Revised: 8/27/20 )
A. Authorization to Tow
1. The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines regarding removal/towing
of vehicles from public streets and highways and private property.
2. Officers are authorized to remove (and/or impound) or cause to be removed to the
tow company impound lot or to a secure storage facility a vehicle found upon a
street, highway, public right -of-way or private property under the following
circumstances:
a. (1) When the ve hicle presents a traffic hazard
(2) When the driver is a repeat/chronic offender (CVC § 14602.6)
and/or
(3) There is a likelihood of the vehicle immediately continuing to be
illegally operated.
b. When a report has been made that the vehicle was stolen or ta ken without
the owner’s consent
c. When a vehicle on the street is so disabled as to c onstitute an obstruction
to traffic , and the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are , by reason
of physical injury , incapacitated to such an extent as to be unable to
provide for its custody or removal
d. When removal is necessary in the interest of public safety beca use of fire,
flood, storm, snow or other emergency reason.
B. Special Considerations
1. In lieu of towing, the officer has the discretion to release the vehicle to a
responsible person (with a valid driver’s license) of the o wner’s choice once
ownership has been verified.
2. If the vehicle is reported stolen, officers will determine who the reporting agency
is and whether the vehicle should be held for evidentiary purposes. If another
agency is the reporting agency, such agenc y will be contacted.
a. If the stolen vehicle is not to be held for evidentiary purposes or other
reasons, the officer or dispatcher will contact the owner with instructions
to come to the scene and claim the vehicle.
b. If the owner of the vehicle is unkn own or unable to respond immediately,
the vehicle will be towed. Financial settlement with the towing service
prior to release is the owner’s responsibility. There is no Police
Department administrative processing fee for returned stolen vehicles.
c. If possible the vehicle should be processed for evidence at the scene and
the owner notified to claim the vehicle there.
3. Vehicles parked unlawfully on the streets will be handled in the following
manner:
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
2
a. If the vehicle is parked in such a manner that the re is no clear and present
traffic safety need, the officer will take regular enforcement action , but the
vehicle will not be towed.
b. Whenever an officer finds an unattended vehicle that consti tutes an
obstruction to traffic, that vehicle may be towed.
4. When a vehicle is involved in a traffic crash, the officer will contact the
dispatcher and have the appropriate tow company respond to the scene. If there is
an owner’s request for a specific tow company, every effort should be made to
contact that tow c ompany.
C. Traffic Offender Program
1. Under CVC § 14602.6a, whenever a peace officer determines that a person is
driving a vehicle while his or her driving privilege is suspended or revoked or
without ever having been issued a license, the peace officer may immediately
arrest that person and cause the removal and seizure of that vehicle. If the officer
believes that other crimes have been committed by this person, (e.g. , drugs in
vehicle, DUI, warrants) or the officer cannot verify identity of the driver, the
officer may book the driver for the misdemeanor violation.
2. When an officer tows a vehicle for a violation in the Traffic Offender
Program , an administrative fee of $17 8.00 will be charged . This fee is to be
collected at the time the relea se paper work is completed by an ECC dispatcher.
This is in addition to the tow company storage charges, outstanding registration
fees or other fees that may be due before the vehicle can be released.
D. Releasing Vehicles
1. Anyone desiring to take poss ession of a towed or impounded vehicle shall be
referred directly to the ECC at the UCSF Police Department where a Release
Form can be obtained. A cash administrative tow fee of $170.00 is required for
vehicles that are towed for certain moving violations (i.e., suspended driver’s
license, DUI, etc .). For vehicles towed pursuant to a parking violation, excluding
stolen vehicle recovery, a cash administrative tow fee of $84.00 is required ( i.e.,
shuttle zone violation, blocking driveway, etc .).
2. No vehicle may be released if there is a “HOLD” against it. In such instances, the
contracted tow company shall be contacted to check with the Police Department
to determine if the “HOLD” has been released.
3. The contracted tow company will release a vehicle to the person authorized to
receive it after approval by the Police Department. A vehicle may be released to
the owner or his/her agent. If released to an agent, the agent should present the
owner’s notarized, written authorization. This authorization shall be attached to
the original incident report . In all instances, a valid driver’s license shall be