Parking Enforcement Officers carry BWC which are used, among other purposes, to document tows initiated by the City. The footage captures the operation while the vehicle is being hooked to the towing vehicle and removed, and does not capture the entirety of the journey from the point of removal to the tow yard, as officers return to their regular enforcement duties after removal of the vehicle. .
The attorney representing both towing companies provided feedback on the use of BWC by tow truck drivers as summarized below:
• There is no opposition to the cameras except for the prohibitive cost of the equipment, system maintenance, and storage of recordings.
• BWC are not the solution, as the cameras can simply be turned off to avoid the theft being recorded.
• The best protection against bad conduct is rigorous hiring practices, including background checks and constant supervision of employees.
• The justification for BWC is to record interaction with customers. As drivers have very limited interaction with customers, the cost of a BWC program could not be justified.
There were extensive negotiations prior to establishing current towing rates and the issuance of the existing permits. Previously, towing companies had a “menu” of charges ranging from mileage, to use of dollies and after-hours charges that were added to a basic tow charge. To address recurrent complaints of overcharging for services not provided, a flat towing rate was established. While there may still be additional charges, such as for storage, the flat rate encompasses charges for the actual tow.
Towing companies have noted that current tow rates do not allow them to assume the added costs of a BWC program and concluded that such a program would require an increase in towing charges to pay for the added expenses to their operation. While a BWC requirement may serve to deter or mitigate inappropriate or unlawful activity on the part of tow truck drivers, any requirement to include BWC for permitted towing operators may impact future negotiations including, but not limited to, matters related to towing rates.