Woodstock PD rakes in another $10,500

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 19, 2012

Roll out the wheelbarrow. They are going to need it at the Woodstock Police Department.

The PD raked in another $10,500 in vehicle impoundment fees. Woodstock Police had to impound 21 vehicles in May to create that take. Considering that Chief Lowen told the City Manager in a letter on January 3 that he thought they might impound 50 vehicles in the first year, he's running quite a bit ahead of schedule.

Is that good? NO!

The total ripped out of wallets and purses so far this year is $39,000. That's for 78 vehicles impounded under the City's new ordinance that was quietly passed in mid-January, unanimously and without discussion.

According to a news article, at least four people has lost their vehicles. If you can't afford $500 plus $150 tow plus storage (probably $40/day), you lose your car. After 35 days, your car is declared abandoned. So you will owe the tow yard $1,400 (35 x $40) + $150 = $1,550.

And you'll still owe Woodstock $500. And you'll no longer have a car. If you needed the car to get to work, so long, J-o-b.

Remember to thank City Hall on the way out of town.

Is there a scorecard at Woodstock Police Department? Do officers get gold stars by their names, if they are in the Top Producers group?

Since officers have discretion to impound a vehicle, in how many cases has discretion been exercised? Maybe the police department will include that statistic, or maybe the Mayor or a member of the City Council will quiz Chief Lowen on that number - every month.

Ya think? Probably not.