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E.P.P. 046 LONGWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCEMENT POLICY & PROCEDURE NUMBER: EPP – 46 SUBJECT: TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 24, 2001 REVISED: NOVEMBER 1, 2023 ENFORCEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EPP – 46 Page 1 of 5 I. PURPOSE The purpose of this directive is to establish uniform standards and procedures regarding the assistance and protection provided to highway users, procedures for reporting and correcting hazardous highway situations, and the towing of private vehicles by Longwood Police Department personnel. II. POLICY It is the policy of the Longwood Police Department to render assistance for the following: A. Protection to persons stranded on the highway; B. Emergency assistance to highway users; C. Taking action to correct hazardous highway conditions; and D. Control or removal of roadway hazardous materials. III. GENERAL A. All officers will render assistance to all persons and occupied vehicles stranded on the roadways; B. Officers will position their patrol vehicles in a manner as to protect the stranded person(s) and/or vehicles from roadway and vehicle hazards. Emergency lighting equipment should be utilized at all times when the stranded person(s) and/or vehicles are in close proximity to the travel portion of the roadway or so close thereto as to deem a safety concern for their well being until such hazards or concerns have been eliminated. ENFORCEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EPP – 46 Page 2 of 5 C. Officers shall make every effort to remove roadway hazards, disabled vehicles and stranded person(s) from the roadway. If necessary a wrecker may be requested to respond at the driver’s request if said wrecker can respond within thirty minutes or less. If the wrecker cannot arrive within thirty minutes or less, a tow rotation wrecker will be requested, via the Telecommunications Center, to respond to remove the vehicle from the roadway. D. Officers shall render assistance to stranded person(s) by offering them a ride to the nearest well-lighted public facility having available telephone capabilities or by notifying a contact person requested by the stranded person(s). If such attempts are unsuccessful the stranded person(s) should be taken to the Longwood Police Department where telephone capabilities and facilities are made available for their use. E. When officers observe or are made aware of hazardous roadway conditions, they shall contact the appropriate agency (e.g. Florida Department of Transportation, Seminole County Department of Traffic Engineering, Longwood Department of Public Works, CSX Transportation/Railroad, etc.) to facilitate the removal of such hazards. If the severity of the hazardous roadway conditions warrants immediate intervention, officers shall establish a roadblock with their patrol vehicle, utilizing emergency lighting equipment, and safely reroute traffic around the hazard. F. In the event that such roadway hazards are chemical spills, fuel spills, or suspicious substances the fire department shall be requested to respond to assess and treat the hazardous situation. Officers shall provide continued traffic control assistance at the request of the highest-ranking fire department official on scene. Note: Officers should utilize their issued Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Guidebook to attempt to identify a potential hazard by the placard numbers displayed on involved vehicles and/or containers. Special risks and safety recommendations may be listed in the guidebook regarding specific identified hazardous materials. IV. PROCEDURES FOR TOWING OF VEHICLES A. When assistance to a stranded motorist, requires their vehicle be immediately towed due to roadway hazards or safety concerns, officers shall request a wrecker to respond at the driver’s request if said wrecker can arrive within thirty minutes or less. If the driver’s wrecker preference cannot arrive within thirty minutes or less, a tow rotation wrecker should be requested, via the Telecommunications Center, to respond to the scene. ENFORCEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EPP – 46 Page 3 of 5 If during course of a criminal investigation it is determined that an involved vehicle needs to be towed the officer will request rotation wrecker, via the Telecommunications Center. B. When a tow rotation wrecker tows a vehicle, the initiating officer shall complete a Longwood Police Department tow sheet and submit the tow sheet to the Records Section. A copy of the tow sheet should be given to the vehicle driver if present at time of tow. The tow sheet shall include the following information: 1. Time; 2. Date; 3. Location; 4. Requesting officer; 5. Reason for removal or tow; 6. Towing service name; 7. Storage location of vehicle; 8. Notification (or attempts) to the registered owner; 9. Inventory of contents; and 10. Placing and removal of holds. C. When vehicles requiring tow are found to be unoccupied, an officer shall complete and submit to the records section an information report documenting the following: 1. Reason(s) for towing; 2. Registered owner; 3. Notification (or attempts) to registered owner; 4. V.I.N. appearing; 5. License plate number; 6. Towing service utilized; ENFORCEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EPP – 46 Page 4 of 5 7. Storage location of vehicle; and 8. FCIC/NCIC entry number All unoccupied vehicles that are towed shall be entered into FCIC/NCIC as Abandoned/Towed by the Telecommunications Center at the request of the initiating officer. The initiating officer shall complete the tow sheet in the following manner: a. In the Circumstances Why Vehicle Was Towed Section of the form print “Abandoned.” b. Complete an inventory of the vehicle. c. In the Hold & Release Section indicate whether hold is needed, and print the reason for the hold (i.e. processing, proof of ownership) if applicable. d. In the Owner Notified of Impoundment Section of the form circle “Yes” or “No”, whichever applies, and complete the date and time of notification. If possible, a continuous effort to notify the owner should be made throughout the remainder of the initiating officer’s tour of duty. These attempts should be documented in the required information report for the incident. e. Advise the wrecker driver that the vehicle is to be held at their storage facility until they receive notification from the Police Department that it can be released. V. PROCEDURES FOR RELEASING VEHICLE FROM IMPOUNDMENT A. If hold was placed on the vehicle, a vehicle owner can obtain authorization for their vehicle’s release only from the law enforcement agency that had it towed/impounded; B. In situations where a Longwood Police Officer impounded/towed a vehicle pursuant to this policy, the owner will be required to bring proof of ownership to the Longwood Police Department; C. To facilitate the vehicle’s release, the owner will also need to bring the case number (if obtained); D. An officer will inspect the proof of ownership to ensure its validity and will then telephone the tow company to verify that the proof of ownership presented by ENFORCEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TRAFFIC ANCILLARY SERVICES EPP – 46 Page 5 of 5 the owner corresponds with the Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.) of the impounded/towed vehicle. The officer will also ensure that the vehicle is not needed by any other agency member to further an active investigation. E. If the V.I.N. matches, the officer will inform the tow company that the vehicle may be released and that the owner will bring them a copy of the Police Department report that authorizes the release; F. The officer will inform the owner that any costs arising from the lawfully executed tow is a matter between them and the tow company and not that of the Police Department. G. The officer will complete a Supplemental Report Form using the original case number. H. The law requires the tow company to provide notice within seven days to all registered owners and lien holders that the tow company has the vehicle. The cost of impoundment is to be paid by the person who owns or leases the vehicle. I. The officer completing the Supplemental Report Form must contact the Telecommunications Center and request that the vehicle be removed from FCIC/NCIC. The officer must then indicate on the supplemental report that the vehicle is being removed from the FCIC/NCIC system along with the date and time of removal.