Police policies aim to curb towing abuses
NWI Times
March 08, 2017
The recent federal indictments of Portage Mayor James Snyder and Lake County Sheriff John Buncich concern allegations of inappropriate business dealings involving tow truck operators. The public corruption charges against both men include allegations that each personally profited financially, as well as politically, by showing favoritism to specific towing operators.
But police departments around the Region have policies in place designed to head off abuses by establishing guidelines and procedures to fairly distribute tow jobs.
"The tow firms are chosen for each case based on a set rotation and by jurisdiction," said Mark Back, spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff's Department.
The companies making the rotation list now are chosen outside the department by the Lake County Board of Commissioners, he said.
That policy stands in contrast to what a federal indictment alleges Buncich did. The government claims Buncich accepted bribes allegedly from towing firms for cash and campaign contributions.
Snyder is alleged to have corruptly solicited and received two checks totaling $12,000 in exchange for a towing contract in the city of Portage.
Policies to avoid such potential corruption vary by department.
Each of the police departments contacted had a similar approach in place with different rates of rotation.
The Valparaiso Police Department uses the same company for one month at a time, and the schedule is set in advance, said Sgt. Mike Grennes.
The eligible companies are selected by the city's board of works, he said, using standards that vary by community.
The LaPorte County Sheriff's Department divides its rotation list into the areas of Michigan City, LaPorte and south county, said Capt. Mike Kellems.
"When a deputy has a need for a wrecker, a request will be for one to be sent via radio," he said. "Dispatch checks the list and sends the next one on the list."
The Porter County Sheriff's Department also dispatches from a rotating list based on the area of the county, but its list is maintained by the sheriff, said Sgt. Jamie Erow.
The department dispatches tow trucks from its own list in emergency situations, during criminal calls and when motorists are unable to arrange a timely response, she said.
"Otherwise, the motorist may choose," Erow said.
The Griffith Police Department tows cars when "the drivers, the cars, or the issues prevent the vehicle from being removed from the scene such as arrest of the driver, when they are a traffic hazard, when they are in violation of town ordinance or state statute ... and when vehicles are being impounded due to investigation," said Public Information Officer Keith Martin.
Police fees
Portage is among the police departments contacted that requires tow companies to charge the same fee for services, said Chief Troy Williams.
Others who set the fees in advance include Porter County, Griffith and Valparaiso. Departments like Michigan City, Lake County and LaPorte County leave the pricing up to the individual companies.
Some local communities collect an additional fee for their own coffers, including Lake County, which charges an additional $75 per tow as determined by the Board of Commissioners, according to Back.
Portage charges a $50 impound fee that is paid to the Police Department, Williams said.
"The person then gets a release form from us and then goes to the tow company to get their vehicle and pay whatever fees may be assessed them," he said. "There are no monies paid to or from the tow company and the Police Department or city."
Griffith charges an additional $25 for non-arrest tows and $50 for arrest tows, Martin said.
Valparaiso charges a $25 administrative fee, Grennes said.
"It's not a huge money maker for the city," he said.
Steve Ridgeway, owner of Ridgeway Service in Griffith, estimated that only about one quarter of the tow companies in the area do tow work for police.
This type of work requires special training and equipment to maintain safety for everyone involved, he said. The special equipment includes wheel lifts, flat beds and dollies, which add up to an additional cost.
Being on a police rotation list also requires being available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Ridgeway said.
"I literally have been sitting down for Christmas dinner and have been called out," he said. "But you have to go. That's part of the job."
Ryan Sandberg, co-owner of Sandberg's Towing & Recovery of Valparaiso, which serves the city, Porter County and state police departments, said his company focuses nearly exclusively on police work when it comes to towing cars.
The tow trucks and operators can't be busy elsewhere when a police call comes in, he said.
"If a road is blocked, they're not going to wait an hour for a tow truck," Sandberg said.
Performance matters
Poor response times have resulted in tow truck companies being taken out of rotation at the Porter County Sheriff's Department, according to Erow.
Companies also have been dropped due to citizen complaints, unprofessionalism and not having proper equipment, she said.
"They understand and agree to what is outlined and understand that by not following policies, they are subject to removal from the list," Erow said.
The tow companies used by the Michigan City Police Department must pass an annual inspection conducted by the department's traffic commander, said Chief Mark Swistek said.
Despite the accusations pending against Buncich and Snyder, Ridgeway said he takes the responsibility of serving police very seriously.
"It's an honor and a privilege," he said.
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