IMPOUNDS & VEHICLES

Question 1

Abandoned vehicle:

Answer 1

Per County Code, any vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer that is inoperable and left unattended or remains illegally on public property for more than 48 hours. Abandoned vehicles include thosedisplaying expired registration plates or registration plates issued to another vehicle

Question 2

A motor vehicle involved in an accident shall be impounded if it cannot be driven, and:

Answer 2

The vehicle creates a hazard, or

 All persons having custodial interest in the vehicle have left the scene

Question 3

For Evidence Bay impounds, the officer shall advise the dispatcher that the vehicle is an Evidence Bay impound to ensure that the County’s contract crane is used. The officers shall also follow the vehicle to the Evidence Bay and:

Answer 3

Complete an entry for the vehicle in the Evidence Bay Processing Log located in the Evidence Bay
 Secure the bay after the vehicle has been placed inside
 Advise an employee from the Evidence Unit that the vehicle that it is in the bay; place the name and ID number of the employee notified in the Impound Record
 Select “NO” for “CAN THE VEHICLE BE RELEASED” within the RMS Impound Record
 Notification to the Teletype Unit via phone for impounds that do not require a NCIC/METERS entry, or modification, is no longer required

Question 4

Vehicles with missing, altered, or questionable VINs, and those not displaying a public VIN shall be impounded for inspection by a

Answer 4

ashington Area Vehicle Enforcement (WAVE) investigator.

Question 5

Impounding Vehicles with Missing, Altered, or Questionable VIN, The officer shall:

Answer 5

Notify the dispatcher that the impound is for a VIN violation to ensure that the County’s contract crane is used
 Affix a Tow Company Impound Sticker to the inside of the driver’s door window (or other inside window when the driver’s door is missing) with the RMS Number, tow company, address from which the vehicle was towed, and the officer’s name and ID number on the sticker
 Advise the crane driver to take the vehicle to the County impound lot (Dille Tract)
 Remain with the vehicle until its removal, the officer need not follow the vehicle to the impound lot
 Select “NO” for “CAN THE VEHICLE BE RELEASED” within the RMS Impound Record
 Inventory the vehicle and include a list in the Impound Record

Question 6

Vehicles shall not be routinely impounded for parking violations, including most fire lane violations (see exceptions below). If practical, the officer will allow reasonable opportunity for the vehicle to be moved. Officers may immediately issue violation notices.
Immediate impoundment is authorized for the following vehicles:

Answer 6

arked or standing in the travel portion of a roadway and is impeding the movement of traffic
 Parked or standing blocking a driveway or entrance
 Parked or standing unattended on any road, highway, alley, or parking lot in a manner constituting a threat to public safety, such as a vehicle on cinder blocks or a vehicle with broken windows
 Parked in a fire lane in a manner which blocks access to a fire hydrant, or would block the passage of an emergency vehicle
 Parked on a snow emergency route during a snow emergency
 Unlawfully parked at an off-street County parking facility

Question 7

A vehicle may be impounded and subject to forfeiture if used during any of these narcotic-related violations:

Answer 7

 Any quantity of a controlled dangerous substance is sold or attempted to be sold in violation of the Controlled Dangerous Substance law or
 An amount of the controlled dangerous substance or paraphernalia is found that reasonably shows that the violator intended to sell the controlled dangerous substance in violation of the Controlled Dangerous Substance law or
 Other circumstances to be considered in deciding whether seizure and forfeiture
are justified include:
 the possession of controlled dangerous substance
 an extensive criminal record of the violator
 a previous conviction of the violator for a controlled dangerous substance crime
 evidence that the motor vehicle was acquired by use of proceeds from a transaction involving a controlled dangerous substance
 circumstances of the arrest; and
 the way in which the motor vehicle
was used

Question 8

For narcotic-related impounds, the impounding officer shall:

Answer 8

In addition to the other required information, note “NARCOTIC IMPOUND” on the impound sticker
 Remove all personal property from the vehicle prior to the impound
 Ensure that the crane driver knows to transport the vehicle to the narcotic impound lot
 Notification to the Teletype Unit via phone for impounds that do not require a NCIC/METERS entry, or modification, is no longer required
 Select “NO” for “CAN THE VEHICLE BE RELEASED” within the RMS Impound Record

Question 9

Vehicles shall only be held for the following reasons:

Answer 9

ending examination following involvement in a serious or fatal accident (CARU must authorize release)
 VIN violation (the Auto Theft Unit must authorize release)
 Pursuant to court order or forfeiture proceedings (the Department or County agency with custody must authorize release)
 Evidence processing (the assigned investigator must authorize release)
 Telex or written request of another law enforcement agency (the impounding officer must authorize release)

Question 10

Documentation for Release for impounds

Answer 10

Certificate of Title
Current Registration
Notarized Power of Attorney or Notarized Authorization

Question 11

When a vehicle is left lawfully parked on public or private property after an incident, the officer shall advise the owner/operator of the provisions of the how many -hour parking ordinance.

Answer 11

72

Question 12

for recovered stolen vehicles officer must

Answer 12

dust for prints

Question 13

If a vehicle is obviously inoperable and has been unattended on public property for more than HOW MANY HOURS or is in violation of the abandoned motor vehicle law, the officer shall:

Answer 13

48/  Affix an Abandoned Motor Vehicle Violation Notice Sticker (green) on the driver’s side window of the vehicle, Revenue Authority via email at abandonvehicle@co.pg.md.us of the location of the vehicle, license plate (if present), and VIN (if readable).

Question 14

An officer shall complete a Case Record, classified as a Motor Vehicle Theft, when the complainant has:

Answer 14

 No knowledge of who took the vehicle  The vehicle was not taken by fraudulent
means
 The vehicle was not taken subsequent to
a breaking and entering
 The vehicle was not taken by the use of
force of threat of force

Question 15

Tier 1 UUV – Unknown Suspect

Answer 15

This category includes rental car agreements where the suspect’s true identity is unknown, dealership fraud (using false documents), social media fraud, and all other circumstances where fraudulent means were used to obtain a vehicle…. report must be done

Question 16

Tier 2 UUV – Known Suspect

Answer 16

This category includes family situations, friends/roommates, and rental caragreements (so long as the suspect’s true identity is known and verified).

Question 17

Tier 2 UUV - Juvenile Suspect

Answer 17

In juvenile cases, the officer shall direct the complainant to contact the Department of Juvenile Services to complete a Juvenile Complaint Form and receive further instruction.

Question 18

Tier 2 UUV - Responsibility of Officer Receiving Follow-Up Contact

Answer 18

 Verify that a warrant, summons, or juvenile petition has been issued
 Complete a Case Record with an offense of UUV (Unauthorized Use of Vehicle) and include the tracking number of the charging document in the narrative
 Scan and attach a copy of the charging document to the RMS Case Folder
 Contact the Teletype Unit via phone within one hour of writing the report and provide vehicle, warrant, summons, and/or juvenile petition information to Teletype to have the vehicle entered as stolen in NCIC/METERS