[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 4]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR634.50]

[Page 62]
 
                       TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
              CHAPTER V--DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 634--MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart F--Impounding Privately Owned Vehicles
 
Sec. 634.50  Standards for impoundment.

    (a) POVs should not be impounded unless the vehicles clearly 
interfere with ongoing operations or movement of traffic, threaten 
public safety or convenience, are involved in criminal activity, contain 
evidence of criminal activity, or are stolen or abandoned.
    (b) The impoundment of a POV would be inappropriate when reasonable 
alternatives to impoundment exist.
    (1) Attempts should be made to locate the owner of the POV and have 
the vehicle removed.
    (2) The vehicle may be moved a short distance to a legal parking 
area and temporarily secured until the owner is found.
    (3) Another responsible person may be allowed to drive or tow the 
POV with permission from the owner, operator, or person empowered to 
control the vehicle. In this case, the owner, operator, or person 
empowered to control the vehicle will be informed that law enforcement 
personnel are not responsible for safeguarding the POV.
    (c) Impounding of POVs is justified when any of the following 
conditions exist:
    (1) The POV is illegally parked--
    (i) On a street or bridge, in a tunnel, or is double parked, and 
interferes with the orderly flow of traffic.
    (ii) On a sidewalk, within an intersection, on a cross-walk, on a 
railroad track, in a fire lane, or is blocking a driveway, so that the 
vehicle interferes with operations or creates a safety hazard to other 
roadway users or the general public. An example would be a vehicle 
parked within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or blocking a properly marked 
driveway of a fire station or aircraft-alert crew facility.
    (iii) When blocking an emergency exit door or any public place 
(installation theater, club, dining hall, hospital, and other facility).
    (iv) In a ``tow-away'' zone that is so marked with proper signs.
    (2) The POV interferes with--
    (i) Street cleaning or snow removal operations and attempts to 
contact the owner have been unsuccessful.
    (ii) Emergency operations during a natural disaster or fire or must 
be removed from the disaster area during cleanup operations.
    (3) The POV has been used in a crime or contains evidence of 
criminal activity.
    (4) The owner or person in charge has been apprehended and is unable 
or unwilling to arrange for custody or removal.
    (5) The POV is mechanically defective and is a menace to others 
using the public roadways.
    (6) The POV is disabled by a traffic incident and the operator is 
either unavailable or physically incapable of having the vehicle towed 
to a place of safety for storage or safekeeping.
    (7) Law enforcement personnel reasonably believe the vehicle is 
abandoned.