The Detroit Police Department will begin handling more vehicle towing on its own.
Previously, 22 different towing companies fought over the job.
Police Chief James Craig is changing all of that with training that began this week. The department bought six towing trucks and setting aside four city-owned lots to put the cars towed from crime scenes or even police precincts. The plan is to hire 15 civilian drivers.
The Detroit News reports that this move is controversial among City Council. Some members say the police department was plotting behind their backs to take over towing.
However, police officials say all the information was in the budget that Council approved.
There are some changes coming for citizens, too. If your vehicle is towed you will be able to petition the police board for a hardship waiver if you can’t afford towing and storage fees. And this next one is big… the city will take credit cards. For years, towing companies in Detroit have only accepted cash.
Department officials say that the department will handle as much as half of all towing themselves in the future.