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Newport News Police Department
OPERATIONAL MANUAL
OPS - 340 – TOWING, INVENTORY & IMPOUNDMENT OF
VEHICLES
Amends/Supersedes: OPS-340 (01/13/2025) Date of Issue: 12/29/2025
I. GENERAL
(See also: Newport News ordinance section 26-16 et. seq., and §46.2-1200 et seq.of the Code of Virginia.)
A. As used within this policy, the following definitions apply:
1. Tow Sheet: “Newport News Police Department Towed Vehicle - Notice of Impoundment /
Confiscation” (NNPD Form #2).
2. Towing officers: Police officers, police aides, and parking enforcement officers.
3. City district wrecker list: A list of wrecker companies approved for use by the Chief of Police, or their
designee, after meeting specific Police Department standards. It is maintained by the department’s
towing enforcement officer and includes heavy-duty wreckers capable of towing large vehicles (e.g.,
tractor-trailer trucks and buses). Communications maintains this list in the dispatch system and will
utilize only the next appropriate and available wrecker in the rotation.
4. City contract wrecker: A specific wrecker company under contract with the City of Newport News to
provide services. Contract wreckers are separate from wreckers listed on the District Towing List.
Categorized as "light," "medium," and "heavy," corresponding with the size of vehicles towed.
5. City abandoned contract wrecker: A specific wrecker company under contract with the City of
Newport News to provide services for vehicles deemed abandoned.
6. Vehicle lot: The off-site vehicle storage lot, commonly referred to as the “impound lot," and accessed
primarily by Towing Enforcement Unit, Crash Team and Forensics Unit personnel.
7. Forensic Services Bay: The garage in the Forensic Services Bay at Police Headquarters, accessed
primarily by Forensic Services Unit personnel.
8. Briarfield Warehouse: The off-site storage location of motorized vehicles that do not fit the definition
of a "motor vehicle" as set out in Code §46.2-100 of the Code of Virginia.
B. The towing officer shall refrain from requesting a specific type of wrecker (e.g., rollback) when a wrecker
is requested to respond. If a wrecker is requested and the vehicle’s size/weight is excessive (i.e., tractor
and trailer, fully loaded delivery truck, etc.), the towing officer shall advise this information when making
the request.
II. PROCEDURE
A. The towing officer may tow a vehicle when:
1. The owner/operator is arrested, and:
a. The accompanying person with the owner/operator of the vehicle is physically, mentally, or
legally unable to assume responsibility for the illegally parked vehicle, or there is no one
associated with the arrestee at the scene.
b. The owner/operator does not delegate responsibility to a third person or provide verbal or
written authorization for the officer to leave the vehicle parked legally on the street.
NOTE: When the vehicle is left parked due to owner/operator arrest, the towing officer must
indicate the authorization in the “NARRATIVE” section of the Tow Sheet. If possible, the
arrestee should sign authorizing the vehicle to be parked legally at the scene.
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