Be Vigilant? No Problem.

By Tim Jackson, Editor, Tow Times® magazine.

As American citizens, we are reminded these days to be observant about our surroundings and report suspicious behavior, objects or situations to authorities. This makes good sense, in good times or bad. In the course of their work, towing and recovery operators can find themselves in a unique position to be a valuable asset to law enforcement and public safety.

It would seem to me that a large percentage of the working population drives to a building or work site, does their eight hours and drives home again. They observe the same general area each day and may interact with only a handful of people.

But as you know, whip up a hectic day at a busy towing business and drivers get around. They run the streets night and day in bustling metro areas, and work around this country’s most prominent landmarks and events. They provide breakdown assistance, towing and transport to the great variety of vehicles zooming across our major interstate highways that provide the most efficient routes of travel for law-abiding citizens as well as the most dangerous individuals and groups. And no matter where you are on the vast network of rural roadways in America, you are on the turf of a towing company ready to respond.  

In short, towing operators can be exposed to a variety of locations and situations.

Towing vehicles isn’t just about moving cars, it’s also about dealing with people – all types of people. It means responding to assist motorists who have encountered an unexpected difficulty. In this respect, the job requirement is similar to that of a police officer, firefighter or EMT. Vehicles break down, whether you are an elderly lady on your way to church or a guy transporting illegal firearms and explosives. An observant towing and recovery operator can get that lady to a safe location and her car repaired. An observant towing and recovery operator can also be the key in alerting authorities to the whereabouts of wanted criminals caught off guard by circumstances and not able to conceal their intent.

When towers tow disabled, wrecked or abandoned vehicles, they may store them and their contents, and have an opportunity to note suspicious items. As said before, breakdowns and accidents can happen to vehicles being used in the process of criminal acts, and as such, the perpetrators could be interrupted in their ability to hide incriminating evidence. 

Through the years, I’ve read reports of how towing operators have made a difference in saving lives and putting a stop to criminal activity. An alert young towing operator spots a crashed vehicle in the darkness off an interstate highway and responds to save a young woman’s life. An observant towing operator notices suspicious activity in an impound yard, which results in a drug trafficking arrest. Evidence preserved at an accident scene by an attentive towing operator becomes a major breakthrough in trial proceedings to bring a guilty party to justice.

As Americans are asked to be vigilant, history has shown that this is something the towing and recovery industry can do quite well.