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Unlawful drivers could lose vehicle Central Point grabs 58 cars in 7 1/2 weeks By SUSAN JAY CENTRAL POINT -- Police have impounded, on average, a car a day since July 7, when the department started a new program aimed at getting drivers to clean up their acts. Under state law, when police officers stop drivers who have a suspended or revoked license, no insurance or are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they can impound the person's car. Central Point officers have impounded 58 vehicles since July 7. Half of the vehicles were subsequently claimed by the owners or other parties, said Chief of Police Mike Sweeny. To retrieve an impounded vehicle, the driver or owner has to pay a $75 administration fee to the city plus the tow and storage charge, after showing a valid driver's license, proof of insurance or sale of vehicle. Cars that go unclaimed will be held until a 30-day waiting period ends and then will be auctioned off. It usually takes another 30 days to collect all the paperwork before the auction can be held. Other cities in the Rogue Valley, including Medford and Phoenix, have been using the vehicle impoundment program for a few years. Ashland started enforcing its program in January. "Primarily our motivation was we had so many re-offenders and our municipal court doesn't issue warrants for failure to pay," Sweeny said. People cited wouldn't show up in court to pay their citation and the court couldn't do anything about it, especially when the person already had a suspended or revoked license. The new program, Sweeny said, "just puts a little bit of teeth in the court's ability to force people to get legal as far as having a valid license and insuring their vehicles." Officers normally won't impound an auto if the driver doesn't have proof of insurance but knows the name of his or her agent and the company. The officer can verify the insurance usually on the scene, Sweeny said. There is an appeals process. If the driver wins, the city will waive the administrative fee, but not the impoundment cost. Sweeny said the impoundment program isn't the final answer to stopping people from driving illegally. He says some people will just buy another used vehicle rather than spend the money to reclaim the car and go through the effort to become legal. The program isn't meant to be punitive or a revenue generator, Sweeny said. "I hope it continues to be effective in driving people toward getting legal," he said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA