Any firm having a valid business license to operate in the city shall be eligible to participate in the assignment of service calls by the Police Department if it is located within the corporate limits or within five miles of such corporate limits and shall have regularly engaged in such business for at least six months.
(A) Application. The application of a firm to participate in emergency police towing operations shall be made in writing to the Chief of Police and shall contain the following information.
(1) Name of firm. Indicate whether owned by individual, corporation, or partnership; list names and addresses of all parties having a financial interest in the towing firm and state number of years business has been established.
(2) Equipment. Describe available equipment to be used in police towing services, particularly in terms of comparative qualities or capacities as related to minimum eligibility requirements.
(3) Primary business location. List location of primary business operation, including dimensions and type of facilities available.
(4) Storage lot. The wrecker company shall maintain a safe storage area for all vehicles towed. This may be a locked building or a secured fenced-in area where the stored vehicles and other property shall not be accessible to the public.
(B) Minimum standards for equipment. Every emergency wrecker proposed to be used by an applicant shall be subject to inspection in a manner determined by the Chief of Police. Every such wrecker shall be in a safe and good working condition and shall comply with the following minimum requirements.
(1) Each wrecker shall be equipped with a power operated winch, winch line and boom, with a factory rated lifting capacity of not less than 8,000 pounds, single line capacity, or, a flatbed wrecker equipped with a power operated winch, and winch line with a factory rated capacity of 8,000 pounds, single line capacity.
(2) Each wrecker shall carry as standard equipment: tow sling, tow bar, towing dollies, safety chains, a fire extinguisher, wreckering bar, broom, shovel, and flares.
(C) Minimum insurance requirements. Each applicant, in order to be eligible to participate in police-requested towing, shall carry liability insurance on its wreckers and its premises in an amount not less than $100,000.
(D) Maximum fees allowed. Each applicant, in order to be eligible to participate in police-requested towing, shall set no fee for towing or storage in excess of the maximum amount as set and established by the City Council.
(E) Hours of operation. There shall be an attendant on call, available for immediate response to police requests for towing 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
(F) All wreckers shall be equipped with legally authorized lighting and other safety equipment to protect the motoring public. Such equipment shall be maintained in a good working order.
(Ord., passed 3-13-84; Am. Ord., passed 10-9-90)