Facts and Information

COLORADANS FOR
       SAFE COMMUNITIES                                                               
                                                        

WHO WE ARE:

Coloradans for Safe Communities is a broad-based coalition of public safety advocates, elected officials, faith groups, community organizations, small businesses, parents and other residents of Lakewood who oppose the vehicle impound policy, which will be going before the voters of Lakewood on the November ballot.

We believe that every person and family should live free of harm, and we depend on our police officers to keep us safe. We believe that our law enforcement officers are the ones who know best when it is a priority to tow a vehicle.   This impound initiative would tie the hands of police officers, and impair their capacity to do the important work of keeping the community safe. 

WHAT IS THE LAKEWOOD IMPOUND POLICY?

The Lakewood vehicle impound initiative will very likely come before voters on the ballot this November in the City of Lakewood.

If the Impound policy becomes law, police officers would be forced to impound the vehicle of anyone driving without their license or registration, even in the case of a driver forgetting their wallet or purse at home. Many licensed drivers, including veterans, parents and the elderly, would face the consequences of this unnecessary and excessive policy. This would add an unnecessary extra layer to the existing impound authority of the Police. Police officers are already given the ability to impound vehicles if they feel it is in the best interest of public safety.

This policy micromanages the efforts of our police men and women by forcing them to wait for tow trucks and to fill out paperwork instead of spending their time safeguarding our city.

WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT?

This dangerous policy would unfairly punish drivers who may have forgotten their wallets or purses at home. Once impounded, a driver could be forced to pay in excess of $2700 to repossess their property! This initiative would leave thousands of Lakewood drivers without access to their vehicles.

The Impound Initiative would also force Lakewood to spend precious tax dollars to tow and stow vehicles, rather than using their already limited resources to address the real concerns facing our communities. With these uncertain economic times, we cannot afford to waste our tax dollars or the energy of our police force by micromanaging their efforts to impound cars.

WHY WE OPPOSE THIS POLICY
A Bad Idea 

Coloradans For Safe Communities (CFSC) is opposing this policy because:

It is unnecessary—there are already laws on the books dealing with unlicensed drivers, and police officers already have the ability to impound a car for many different offenses. 

It is excessive—in these tough economic times, we just can’t afford to be punishing law abiding citizens with thousands of dollars in fees and adding costs to our cities and law enforcement agencies, which are already cutting valuable services in the face of shrinking budgets.

It is dangerous—micromanaging our police officers hurts public safety. There are far greater threats to our community’s safety; police officers need to do real police work, not wait for tow trucks.

pdf of the fact sheet