Can a police officer drive a vehicle that has been impounded to the impound yard?
444783
fr chuck is right.\n\nAn officer can drive a vehicle to the impound yard but for liability purposes, it isn't done.\n\nThat is why Law Enforcement Agencies use Bonded Wrecker Services.\n\n\n*Many years ago, one of our officers arrested a Trucker for Driving While Intoxicated (yes, this trucker was driving an 18 wheeler). It just so happened that our officer had a valid CDL to drive a truck-- and at the time, we did not have a wrecker service with the capability to get the job done--so our officer drove it to the impound yard himself.\nThat is the only time I know of where an officer drove a vehicle himself to be impounded, and I have worked for both city and county.
47914
They will eventually sell it to recoup the costs of towing and storage; if it is in a private impound lot it is usually after 30 days. It is still possible that you will be liable for any charges that are not covered by the amount of money your car brings at auction. They might be able to have an action against you in civil court. Don't think that they can do any criminal charges.
949816
Normal driving speeds should be acknowledged during transport.  However, if the officer is in proximity of another 911 he can exceed the speed limit in order to respond.\n\nDuring a routine traffic stop I was once arrested for "not having drivers license on person."  Which is a discretionary ticket.  I had left work on the night shift for lunch and left my purse in my locker?   I was hand cuffed behind my back and placed in the car.\n\nThe officer received a call to respond to a possible drug related incident?  He flew 120 MPH to a house in the country.  I sat in the back seat while they busted a house.  The officer came to the patrol car and told me to lay down.  I asked if he could loosen the cuffs because they were cutting into my wrists?  He said he couldn't do that.  The officer put the drug dealer in car with ME.\n\nThen he drove like a bat out of hell for 20 minutes to get to the station.  I even asked the officer if he had to drive so fast, and could he legally do that?  He said "I can in this case".\n\nI mentioned this when I went to court?  The fine for my misfortune should have been release upon ICS or ISS or what ever they call into?  My court fine?  $900!\n\nI would say that the officer can validate his speed by any means of responce and/or immediate call for assistance.
1143872
just call the place where you car is impounded.
301959
That depends on what kind of accident it was. If the accident was caused by a policeman being negligent then the guy can sue the county in tort for the damages suffered.\nIf the Policemen was CRIMINALLY negligent(he maliciously disregarded the rules of safety) he may be punished for reckless endangerment.
254901
Do you mean storing your car or impounding it. There is a difference. In CA, here are some reasons it could be towed.\n\nYour car was stored because your car was:\n\nblocking a roadway, blocking a private driveway, left unattended on a bridge, you were driving it while you had an expired driver's license, you were arrested, your registration was expired for more than six months.\n\nYou car was impounded (meaning a possible 30 day mandatory hold) because:\n\nyou were driving on a suspended license, you drove in an illegal street race, you used your car to commit a crime, you ran from the police and abandonded the car somewhere after you jumped out and ran, you comittied a hit-and-run and they find your car.\n\nThese are just some of the reasons why. To look up more, check out CA Vehicle Code section 22651 and its sub-sections for storage authorities. Also look at CA vehicle code 14602.6 for impoundment of a vehicle\n\nYou can find them online here:  \n\nhttp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=59386828123+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve
516419
I would think that if you were driving it on a public street, road, highway, or even a public sidewalk you could be charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Probably not if you were on private property such as your own driveway, or yard. You would have to check with  your local police or sherrif or state highway patrol for details of your areas laws on the matter.
1039603
since when ha was pulled over he was the legal custodian of the vehicle. Operation of vehicle can be sometimes imputed by operation of law through the employee and employer relationship.
1138165
I think about the only thing you can legally do would be to record details...e.g., make, model, rego, driver's details, time(s) of passing and if the car(s) in question cut laps around the block - then report the offenders to the police. \n\nThey can legally be booked for noise and public nuisance laws - and possibly if their cars are unroadworthy...as it's quite possible too. \n\nTake note in particular of "regulars" - if the police know a car is regular in the area, they'll be more likely to be a) able to do something and b) actually try to do it - if they know s/he'll be back again than if they are itinerant! \n\nHope this helps... :-)
713012
Only if it the vehicle is licensed for street use and is driven on public roads.
974509
You could try, but it will probably just cost you more money in court costs in the end anyway, from experience I have learned that you could have all the evidence in your favor, and the judge will still side with the police, at least your car was not damaged and was in piece when you gt it back. I had mine towed unlawfully recently, and they really fucked it up!!!! Good luck!!!! I hope you don't live in Illinois, if so don't EVEN bother trying to fight it, no contest!!!!
967554
Yes but you need a license thats registered with the police and be able to prove you have a good reason to own one.
106325
You mean like clubs and what not ? they are everywhere every city has a sector club in it, check the internet or local listings, its got to have plates on it that say historcial vehicle on it, tho or it can and will get impounded , check with your local police dept on this
543922
Of course a police officer can pull someone over if they look underage.  The duty of a police officer is to prevent crimes and enforce the law, one of which happens to be no one under a certain age is allowed to operate a motor vehicle.  The fact that your friend looked like they were under the minimum driving age for your state constitutes probable cause for the officer to investigate.\n\nWhat you don't say in your story is whether or not your friend actually WAS under the age of 16, or whether or not he was committing another driving offense which the officer naturally discovered in the course of his investigation (including if your friend began to exceed the speed limit).\n\nI'm afraid if your friend was driving while underage or breaking another traffic law, the police officer in question probably acted entirely appropriately and you just got caught doing something wrong.\n\nIf your friend wasn't breaking any traffic laws, though, it should not have been an issue.  The police officer should have checked his identification to confirm he was old enough to operate a motor vehicle, made sure the license was genuine, and then allowed the two of you to go on your way (unless you live in one of several states that has laws against minor drivers transporting others in their vehicles, but that goes back to your friend breaking traffic laws).  Officers cannot arbitrarily issue tickets without cause, though, and they are most certainly not allowed to ticket someone for "looking too young" because looking the way you do is not a crime in America.
605319
I believe they can do so under color of law. \n\nWhen a "peace officer" activates that red light on their car your only lawful action is to yield to that red light. If the officer keeps that red light on and is behind your car, you are not free to go, you are under arrest, although most police will say its only a detention. The test is to ask if you are free to go, if you are not free to go you are under arrest.\n\nThe officer under California law can perform a warrantless arrest under the vehicle code. However as you pointed out the vehicle code can only be used upon commercial vehicles, this is why the DMV is so adamant in issuing Commercial Class C drivers licenses to all people so the officers can pull over just about any car as the vast majority of citizens have admitted to being Class C or other commercial class of driver. Once you show your License you establish you are a driver and subject to regulation.\n\nIf you are not driving a commercial vehicle, California law Vehicle Code Sec. 260(a),(b) can be enlightening. Section 260(a) defines the type of vehicle required to be registered (regulated) under the Vehicle Code, commercial vehicles. Section 260(b) flat out states private cars and housecars are not commercial vehicles. As a citizen you are supposed to have the logical brain power to infer if Commercial Vehicles are required to be regulated, and private cars are not commercial vehicles, then priavte cares are not required to be registered (regulated). \n\nThis is why in farming communities a truck with the NOT FOR HIRE sign can use the public roads unregistered (politicians have placed restrictions on this in recent decades, talk to some old timers they will set you straight).\n\nSo when a peace officer who has taken POST training demands a license, he is making several assumptions, one you have a Drivers License and two, you were engaged in the activity of driving, moving goods or persons for hire via the public easement. If these two presumptions can be proven unfounded then you as a citizen would have excellent grounds for filing a Title 42 Section 1983 action against the offending officer, as well as a Title 18 Section 242. Even if the officer beats the Civilr Rights case, he can't beat the ride you get to take him on through the federal court. So if you feel an offcier has violated your freedoms by giving you a ticket, sue him, at the very least you can pay him back for making you jump trough the Superior Court System, by making the officer jump through the Federal Court System.\n\nThe right to travel is a god given right, including the right to travel in the conveyance of the day unhindered by government actors.
868679
You will be responsible for the cost of the tow.  Legally, at least in California, you can not park in a manner that blocks a driveway.  It does not matter whose driveway you block or if anyone calls in about your car.  A police officer who is just driving around and finds a car blocking a driveway can tow it with or without a complainant.\n\nCVC 22651(d) gives a California peace officer the authority to tow a vehicle blocking a private driveway.  Here's the text to that section:\n\n22651.  Any peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing\nwith Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or any\nregularly employed and salaried employee, who is engaged in directing\ntraffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations, of a city,\ncounty, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is\nlocated, may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits\nin which the officer or employee may act, under any of the following\ncircumstances:\n   (a) When any vehicle is left unattended upon any bridge, viaduct,\nor causeway or in any tube or tunnel where the vehicle constitutes an\nobstruction to traffic.\n   (b) When any vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway in\na position so as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic or in a\ncondition so as to create a hazard to other traffic upon the highway.\n\n   (c) When any vehicle is found upon a highway or any public lands\nand a report has previously been made that the vehicle has been\nstolen or a complaint has been filed and a warrant thereon issued\ncharging that the vehicle has been embezzled.\n   (d) When any vehicle is illegally parked so as to block the\nentrance to a private driveway and it is impractical to move the\nvehicle from in front of the driveway to another point on the\nhighway.
1181459
You've written an awful lot of stuff here just to ask if the cops can pull someone over for "no reason."\n\nDoubtful.  \n\nIf the state you're writing about has a law that allows police to stop vehicles to check for current insurance (and for no other reason), then I would have to say the police can do that.  \n\nIf there's no such law in your state that allows that, it's going to be every bit as impossible to give you a good answer as Van Winkle says (and his was generally a very good answer).  You don't have anywhere near all the facts, so there's no way you can present them to anyone to get a decent answer.  \n\nAs for all the other stuff you wrote, did you have a question about it?  I see plenty of answers, but you never asked any questions.\n\nDon't get overly excited when you read people's answers here talking about search and seizure issues because based on what you wrote here, I doubt there are any.  \n\nPost more if you want to know more.\n\nEDIT 6.11.06:\n\nWow!\n\nOkay, let's see what we can do here.\n\nNeed to know what state you're in.  Sorry I didn't mention that before, I should have.  States have different laws, and the very best answer will come to you from someone who knows that State's law on these issues.  However, these are mostly constitutional questions, so I can probably give you some decent answers (because the Constitution applies in all states).\n\n1.  Generally, yes.  If it's stolen, it's contraband, and nobody has the right to possess contraband.  It would be like trying to argue that the police couldn't take your heroin without a warrant or consent...they can, because it's contraband.  NOTE: this is only as to the seizure of the item, not the search.  \n\n2.  Almost impossible to answer.  Really, none of these questions are all that "answerable," without knowing exactly what the facts were.  There are times when the police can enter uninvited and without a warrant, and there are times they cannot.  I wish I could go into this more with you, but you're talking about hours and hours of search and seizure law here, to be able to cover all the possibilities.\n\n3.  Your family can always file a complaint with the officer's employer.  I have no idea what the outcome of that could be, of course.\n\n4.  I don't know how you know "for sure" some of the property wasn't stolen, so it's difficult to address this.  Assuming you really do know the status of the property you're referring to, you should contact the law enforcement agency that seized the property and give them a statement as to the status of the property.  Do not waste your time by telling them things like, "it's my brother's, and my brother would never steal anything" or, "the neighbor gave it to my brother last year and my neighbor wouldn't have stolen it" because you just don't know those things to be 100% factual.  Perfectly innocent people can sometimes trade or give away stolen property without knowing it, but it doesn't mean the property isn't every bit as stolen.\n\nYou've repeatedly said that you stay out of the drama (wise decision, by the way), so I'm guessing that you really don't have all the facts.  If you weren't there at the time all this happened, you really aren't in a good position to know all the intimate details for certain, and it's the details that can really make a difference.  \n\nI don't know for sure that it's working, but if you'd like you're welcome to click on my avatar-thingy up there and contact me for some more discussion on this issue.  It's probably about to be beaten to death here, and I admire the reasonable tone of your questions.