Applicable To: All employees

Approval Authority:  Chief Richard J. Pennington

Signature:  Signed by RJP

Date Signed:  10/10/06

1.               PURPOSE

This command memorandum supplements APD.SOP.4010, “Traffic.”

2.               POLICY

Vehicles impounded by the City of Atlanta must be checked for stolen when they are impounded and prior to being released to ensure they are recovered promptly, cleared from the system, and returned to their rightful owner. 

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              All employees are responsible for ensuring adherence to this policy in addition to adhering to APD.SOP.4010 “Traffic,” Section 4.13.

3.2              Supervisors will monitor employees’ adherence to this directive.

4.               ACTION

4.1              Impounded stolen vehicles incur storage fees when the owner is not promptly notified.  These costs are sometimes incurred by the Police Department.  Released vehicles must be checked for stolen to ensure they are cleared from the system prior to release so they are not improperly impounded and to prevent an innocent person being criminally charged.  In an effort to provide better service to the public and ensure stolen vehicles are returned promptly, this directive establishes the additional requirement that ALL vehicles being impounded by the Atlanta Police Department be checked for stolen on ACIC by the impounding officer AND by Property Control employees prior to being released.

4.2              All vehicles being impounded by the Atlanta Police Department will be checked for stolen on ACIC prior to completion of the impound.

4.2.1           The impounding officer will:

1.    Switch to ACIC and check the status of the vehicle for stolen.  “Stolen” status must be checked and verified on ACIC in addition to any MDT transaction.

2.    Advise the operator of the license plate number, the VIN, and the make/model of the vehicle.

3.    Give the location from which the vehicle has been impounded, the name of the wrecker service, and the CADS number.

4.    Give the reason for the impound.

4.2.2           The ACIC operator will:

1.    Query the GCIC/NCIC hot files for stolen and registration file of the appropriate state.  (If the vehicle comes back stolen, the ACIC operator will take appropriate to notify the impounding officer of the hit and to clear the hit per Communications procedures.)

2.    Enter all information about the impounded vehicle into the CAD wrecker file per APD.SOP.4010 sec 4.13.4 (2).

3.    If stolen, ACIC will additionally notify the entering agency that the vehicle has been recovered per Communications procedures. (Administrative Message)

4.2.3           Property Control Unit employees will:

1.    Check all impounded vehicles for stolen prior to release

2.    Adhere to APD.SOP.6030, Property and Evidence Control, section 4.7, “Impounds.”

5.               DEFINITIONS

N/A

6.               CANCELLATIONS

N/A

7.               REFERENCES

                  APD.SOP.4010, “Traffic”

                  APD.SOP.6030, “Property and Evidence”

CALEA 5^th edition standard 61.4.3