Police & ForensicsTowing and securing property after a crash
The vehicles cannot be driven away and the people involved have belongings inside. You have the vehicles towed or impounded, log the victims' property on the vehicle inventory form and keep it safe so nothing is lost or stolen. It is the towing and property procedure of the Albany Police Department (New York) general order on traffic collision investigations.
Free to startScenarios
- A vehicle too damaged to be driven.
- An injured victim taken to the hospital who cannot take care of their property.
- A police vehicle involved in the crash.
- A hit and run suspect vehicle found empty.
The steps
- Have the vehicles towed or impounded when needed, following the department's towing procedures.
- Log the property of the crash victims on the department's vehicle inventory form.
- Make sure the property is secured so it is not lost or stolen.
- If the victim cannot properly secure the property, take it into safekeeping following current directives.
- Do not move a police vehicle involved in a crash until the shift supervisor arrives or authorizes it.
- Have police vehicles towed and repaired following the department's order on vehicle repairs.
- If needed, tow a hit and run suspect vehicle for safekeeping.
To pass
- A crash with damage that requires towing always gets a thorough investigation and the mandatory police crash report.
- When a commercial truck over 10,000 pounds, a bus for nine or more people or a placarded vehicle is involved and a vehicle is towed from the scene for something other than a flat tire, the truck and bus supplemental report MV-104S is also completed.
Official source
General Order 3.4.10: Traffic Collision Investigations
The City of Albany publishes its police general order on traffic collision investigations free: the scene steps, the reports and who reviews them.
Making Synapses is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by NHTSA, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Albany Police Department or any law enforcement agency. Agency and form names are named only to describe the content.