DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

FOR

PRIVATE IMPOUNDS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION..............................................................................3

DPD RESPONSIBILITIES........................................................4 

PRIVATE TOWER’S RESPONSIBILITIES.......................................5 

REDEMPTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUND BY A CITIZEN...........7 

LEIN SYSTEM DOWN...........................................................8 

LEIN ENTRANCE................................................................8 

PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUNDMENT PROCESS..............................9 

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INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the SOP is to offer a standard set of procedures to all 

Districts that process private property impounds. The implementation of these 

procedures will ensure that private property impounds are processed timely and 

accurately. 

The following information is compiled to provide all District Law Enforcement 

LEIN Operators with a list of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), regarding 

private property impoundment of vehicles towed within the city of Detroit. These 

procedures and guidelines shall provide efficient and accurate instructions to desk 

supervisors, LEIN Operators and private property towers. 

The Detroit Police Department mandates the following procedures to be 

followed by all private property towers and Department personnel responsible for 

processing private property impounds. 

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DPD RESPONSIBILITIES

Each District shall create a Private Property Impound ledger for vehicles 

towed within their District as private property impounds. The business name, 

address, and a photocopy of each tower’s Michigan Operator license must be 

legibly recorded in the private property impound ledger. 

Telephone requests from towers to obtain larceny checks, prior to 

towing vehicles are not authorized. Vehicles having obvious signs of theft 

such as a broken steering column or ignition shall not be towed by a private 

property tower. These vehicles must be recovered by the Detroit Police 

Department and conveyed to an authorized contracted tow facility. 

 

Vehicles with no signs of theft and requested to be towed from private 

property, must be conveyed to the District within 4 hours of pick up and 

processed as a private property impound by the LEIN Operator. The 

requestor’s information must be on file for comparison and verification. 

Additionally, the tower must present their Michigan operator’s license and 

tow slip to the LEIN operator. Upon verification, the LEIN Operator is authorized to 

obtain a larceny check and verify to the requestor whether the vehicle is reported 

stolen. 

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PRIVATE TOWERS RESPONSIBILITIES

Vehicles towed as a result of a private property impound must be conveyed 

to the District from which the vehicle was towed. If the tower requests that the 

vehicle be processed as a private property impound, the tower shall wait at the 

District until the identity of the tower and the status of the vehicle is established by 

the District LEIN operator. If a non stolen status is reported to the requestor by the 

LEIN operator, the tower may leave the impoundment information with the LEIN 

operator and transport the vehicle to a private facility. 

All private property towers shall provide their Michigan operator’s license to 

the District LEIN Operator. The name and Michigan operator’s license number of 

the individual tower shall be recorded in the Private Property Impound ledger, 

created by the District. The listed information shall serve as reference for the 

District personnel to identify the tower in person, as an authorized person to 

request if a vehicle is stolen or impounded via the Crisnet or LEIN System. 

All towers are advised to use care and caution before towing vehicles from 

private property. It is recommended that all towers remain at the District only to 

confirm the status of the vehicle. If a vehicle is inadvertently towed to a District 

and is in the LEIN or Crisnet System as stolen, it shall be that District’s 

responsibility to immediately have the vehicle recovered. Non contracted 

towers shall surrender the vehicle to that District and forfeit all rights to the vehicle. 

City of Detroit contracted tow companies shall retain the vehicle after it is recovered 

by District personnel and convey the vehicle to its tow facility. 

 

Upon entering the District to request a LEIN Operator to input private 

property impounds into the LEIN System, the tower shall present their Michigan 

operator’s license along with a tow slip, order slip or a computer print out that must 

include a receipt number, to the LEIN Operator. Additionally, the tow slip must 

include the authorized (legible) name of the person who requested the tow, 

the location from which the vehicle was towed, and any damage(s) to the 

vehicle. A telephone number and location where the vehicle will be stored must 

also be included. 

 

The LEIN Operator shall verify the identity of the tower by accessing and 

comparing the information in the Private Property Impound ledger. Once the 

identity of the tower has been established and verified as a registered tower, the 

LEIN Operator is authorized to begin the private property impoundment process. 

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The LEIN Operator shall query the vehicle identification number (VIN) via the 

CrisNet and LEIN System, prior to entering the vehicle as a private property 

impound. This will verify if the vehicle is already in the systems for any reason. If 

the vehicle is not in either system as impounded or reported stolen, the LEIN 

Operator shall process the vehicle as a private property impound. The generation 

of a Crisnet Property Report is not necessary.

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REDEMPTION OF A PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUND BY A

CITIZEN:

It shall be the private property towers obligation to inform all vehicle owners 

who request the redemption of their vehicle, that the abandoned status must be 

removed from the LEIN System, by the District that originally processed it. 

Additionally, the tower must provide the citizen with a receipt, which includes the 

make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number of the vehicle and indicate Private 

Property Release. It shall be the vehicle owner’s responsibility to convey the 

documentation to the entering District’s LEIN Operator for removal. The LEIN 

Operator shall cancel the abandoned status of the vehicle by following the listed 

procedures. 

1. Sign on into LEIN 

2. Click ‘forms’ and scroll to vehicles 

3. Click on ‘Cancel Vehicle’ ORI should read MI8234999 

4. Click on line 46 tab and then click ‘Abandoned Vehicle’ 

5. Enter Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.) in the box on line 32 

6. Click ‘transmit’. Provide the reference number to the citizen. 

If the system is down or the information cannot be readily entered into the 

system, the operator shall notify the supervisor on the desk who shall follow the 

detailed guidelines in “LEIN System Down” on page 8 of this document. 

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LEIN SYSTEM DOWN

If the LEIN System is down or if private property entries cannot be performed 

within the allotted time or during a shift, it shall be the LEIN Operators 

responsibility to notify the desk supervisor that the private property entries cannot 

be completed. It shall be that supervisor’s responsibility to make a blotter entry

indicating the reason for non entry and if not resolved before the end of the existing 

shift, the supervisor shall make a Private Property Information Passed On blotter 

entry. The relieving supervisor shall make a Private Property Information 

Received blotter entry and ensure the task is passed on to the oncoming LEIN 

Operator.

LEIN ENTRANCE

All private property impounds must be entered into the LEIN System within four (4) 

hours of impoundment. This will reduce the number of vehicles erroneously 

reported as stolen. The LEIN Operator shall enter vehicles onto the Abandoned 

Vehicle Form using ORI # 8234999 and input the following District’s OCA number 

in the box where requested. 

 DISTRICT OCA 

• Southwestern 8234904 

• Northwestern 8234906 

• Eastern District 8234909 

• Northeastern 8234911 

• Western 8234912 

• Central 8233913 

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PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUNDMENT PROCESS

1. Sign on into LEIN 

2. Click ’forms’ and scroll to enter abandon vehicle 

3. Click ‘Enter Abandon Vehicle’ 

4. EVA/ ORI should read MI8234999

5. Enter the District OCA number in the OCA line 

6. Enter all highlighted requested line information. On line 41, enter 

private property impound (PPI), location where the vehicle was 

towed to and telephone number of tow company 

7. Enter address and city vehicle towed from 

8. Enter Mi820365J on the Court of Jurisdiction ORI line 

9. Enter telephone number of private tower (no dashes or spaces) 

10. Transmit; a reference number will automatically be generated to 

confirm the vehicle has been properly entered. 

11. Remind all private property towers that it is their responsibility to: 

• Instruct citizens to return to the entering District to remove 

the abandoned status of vehicles impounded from private 

property. 

• Provide citizens with proper documentation to be presented 

to the LEIN Operator for removal 

 

• Although it is not required that towers remain at the District 

during the entire PPI process, the reference number may 

be provided as a courtesy to confirm that the vehicle has 

been properly entered as a private property impound. 

To discuss or resolve any matter pertaining to private property impoundment, 

supervisors shall contact Resource Management at 596-2084 or 596-2081, Monday 

through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 

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