Thread: LAPD expected to decide on change in car impound policy today

LAPD expected to decide on change in car impound policy today

February 28, 2012 | 8:47am

The Los Angeles Police Department is expected to decide Tuesday whether to push ahead with controversial plans to change how the vehicles of unlicensed drivers are impounded.

Senior LAPD officials and the five-member civilian board that oversees the department have been weighing whether to ease the impound rules governing never-licensed drivers. Current policy, according to Chief Charlie Beck, is vague and often results in officers invoking a mandatory 30-day hold, which carries fees that typically exceed $1,200. Beck is seeking a more lenient approach for people who have never been issued a license but meet several requirements — namely having auto insurance, valid identification and no previous convictions for unlicensed driving.

Beck has said he believes those drivers should be allowed to retrieve their cars from the impound lot as soon as the following day. People driving on suspended or revoked licenses or those who do not satisfy the department's requirements would find their vehicles impounded under the 30-day hold.

The proposed changes set off an angry protest from police union officials and some Angelenos, who argued that the changes would reward people for breaking the law and allow potentially dangerous drivers to remain on the roads.

Beck went even further last week, saying that California should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

"The reality is that all the things that we've done -- 'we' being the state of California -- over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven't reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses," he said. "When something doesn't work over and over and over again, my view is that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes more sense."

Beck said illegal immigrants should be given separate licenses -- perhaps a type of provisional license or nonresident license. Such a move would result in improved safety, he said, because more drivers would participate in the state's rigorous license testing process.

LAPD expected to decide on change in car impound policy today - latimes.com

And so now there could be a new bureaucracy created for these so-called 'separate licenses?' As if the taxpayers don't already pay enough for illegals and CA is broke.

"The reality is that all the things that we've done -- 'we' being the state of California -- over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven't reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses," he said. "When something doesn't work over and over and over again, my view is that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes more sense."

There IS another way that makes more sense, deport these illegals and sell their cars to help pay for it.

Chief Beck's car-impound changes backed by L.A. police commission

February 28, 2012 | 11:47am

The Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday voted to support Police Chief Charlie Beck's controversial plan to ease the rules governing the impounding of automobiles belonging to never-licensed drivers, including illegal immigrants.

The commission voted 4-1 to support the change after making some last-minute amendments.

Current policy, Beck argued, is vague and often results in officers invoking a mandatory 30-day hold, which carries fees that typically exceed $1,200. Beck is seeking a more lenient approach for people who have never been issued a license but meet several requirements — namely having auto insurance, valid identification and no previous convictions for unlicensed driving.

Beck has said he believes those drivers should be allowed to retrieve their cars from the impound lot as soon as the following day. People driving on suspended or revoked licenses or those who do not satisfy the department's requirements would find their vehicles impounded under the 30-day hold.

The proposed changes set off an angry protest from police union officials and some Angelenos, who argued that the changes would reward people for breaking the law and allow potentially dangerous drivers to remain on the roads.

Beck went even further last week, saying that California should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

"The reality is that all the things that we've done -- 'we' being the state of California -- over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven't reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses," he said. "When something doesn't work over and over and over again, my view is that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes more sense."

Beck said illegal immigrants should be given separate licenses -- perhaps a type of provisional license or nonresident license. Such a move would result in improved safety, he said, because more drivers would participate in the state's rigorous license testing process.

Chief Beck's car-impound changes backed by L.A. police commission - latimes.com