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Village updates police towing rules and fees, board hears staff concerns about response times and vendor vetting
Summary
Trustees waived first reading and approved changes to the municipal towing ordinance to update fees, align property‑retrieval procedures with state law and lower licensing cost to encourage more applicants. Police described vetting standards and rapid response expectations for firms that tow village vehicles.
The Village Board on Aug. 25 voted to amend Article 3 of Chapter 19 of the Villa Park Municipal Code to update towing regulations, fees and licensing terms for tow companies that serve the police department.
Why it matters: The ordinance raises and standardizes towing fees and lowers the application fee to encourage more tow companies to apply while strengthening police oversight of vendors. Boards and staff said the change was intended to bring Villa Park fees closer to neighboring communities and to ensure faster, more secure storage of towed vehicles.
What changed: The ordinance updates fee levels and rescinds provisions that previously allowed unrestricted access to property inside a towed vehicle, aligning the village code with state law. It also reduces an application/license fee that had been set at a historically high level in favor of a lower charge intended to broaden the pool of qualified applicants.
Police department enforcement and vendor standards: Villa Park Police Chief Todd Coopish explained the department’s expectations for companies that hold police towing contracts — including secure facilities, indoor storage for evidence vehicles, camera systems, background checks for drivers and quick response times. "When you're out on Route 83 at 5:00 in the afternoon and you have an accident, I need a tow truck here yesterday, not 45 minutes from now," Coopish said, summarizing the operational need for rapid response.
The chief said the department performs background checks on drivers and evaluates prospective towers for response times, security and insured/bonded facilities. He noted past problems with a vendor that resulted in removal from the village list and that the current provider typically meets response‑time expectations and stores seized vehicles indoors for chain‑of‑custody reasons.
Board debate: Trustees asked whether a lower application fee might attract low‑quality or predatory firms. The chief and other trustees said the village enforces minimum criteria, inspections and criminal‑history checks and that the department has negotiated firm commitments, such as not charging the village for tows of village vehicles and providing indoor, secure storage for seized cars.
The vote: Trustee Cozart moved to waive the first reading and approve the ordinance; the motion passed on a roll call vote with all trustees voting yes.
What’s next: The amended ordinance becomes the governing text for police towing operations; staff said details such as the vendor application form and the department’s documented qualification checklist will be used to screen applicants and to enforce contract terms.
Ending note: Trustees emphasized public safety benefits—reducing traffic impacts at crash scenes and protecting evidence—when explaining why prompt, vetted towing service matters to the village.
