Police Investigate Towing Industry
The majority of professional organizations across Ontario have provincial regulations that determine how those in the industry can operate. The towing industry does not have these regulations, and so it has been subject to criminal organizations penetrating it and causing more harm than good.
While police officers are usually thought to be involved in accidents when people are hurt, and to file an official report, recent investigations have determined that may not have always been the case. As recently as July, a task force implemented by the province has been executing search warrants and placing police officers under arrest for their involvement in the turf wars across the towing industry. There have been over 30 people arrested, and of those arrests 5 of them are police officers in several different divisions of the York Regional Police force.
The accusations are being taken very seriously, and a spokesperson for the police force said they are looking at professional standards and how they are enforced. These charges are being taken very seriously.
One such charge involves a police officer who gave a police radio to tow truck drivers so they would know about accidents before any other towers and could be first on scene to take the business.
The towing industry turf wars have been going on for over two years across the GTA, with violence escalating over that time. This industry has seen 3 tow truck operators shot to death over feuds related to towing. Other drivers have had their trucks vandalized or burned from rival companies because they had taken business from them.
The tow truck companies and operators are not the only ones involved in illegal activities in this industry. Recently, investigations have shown that police officers are not just acting in a professional capacity when it comes to towing. The five police officers accused of being involved have been suspended with pay pending further investigation. Officers have been accused of receiving kickbacks for tips related to being first on scene for accidents and scooping up business.
The professional standards investigation is reviewing all the evidence they seized when they executed 11 search warrants, including phone records and the contents of numerous electronic devices.
The premier, Doug Ford, was unaware of the escalating violence the towing industry is experiencing. He has appointed a task force to look at the current regulations of this industry and determine how to better it. While there are a handful of cities that currently have strict regulations on who can tow within the city limits and how much they can charge, very few municipalities actually require tow truck operators to have any kind of license.
The goal of the task force created in June 2020 is to create regulations for this industry that will keep tow truck operators across the province safe for everyone who works in it.
The investigations against all those involved in criminal activity in the towing industry are far from over. As of July, police in York Region had just charged two more people in connection to one of the homicides of a tow truck operator.
Tow Truck Vaughan takes these matters in our industry very seriously and do not take part in any of these illegal activities. If you are in need of a reputable towing service, give us a call at 647-799-2483.
While police officers are usually thought to be involved in accidents when people are hurt, and to file an official report, recent investigations have determined that may not have always been the case. As recently as July, a task force implemented by the province has been executing search warrants and placing police officers under arrest for their involvement in the turf wars across the towing industry. There have been over 30 people arrested, and of those arrests 5 of them are police officers in several different divisions of the York Regional Police force.
The accusations are being taken very seriously, and a spokesperson for the police force said they are looking at professional standards and how they are enforced. These charges are being taken very seriously.
One such charge involves a police officer who gave a police radio to tow truck drivers so they would know about accidents before any other towers and could be first on scene to take the business.
The towing industry turf wars have been going on for over two years across the GTA, with violence escalating over that time. This industry has seen 3 tow truck operators shot to death over feuds related to towing. Other drivers have had their trucks vandalized or burned from rival companies because they had taken business from them.
The tow truck companies and operators are not the only ones involved in illegal activities in this industry. Recently, investigations have shown that police officers are not just acting in a professional capacity when it comes to towing. The five police officers accused of being involved have been suspended with pay pending further investigation. Officers have been accused of receiving kickbacks for tips related to being first on scene for accidents and scooping up business.
The professional standards investigation is reviewing all the evidence they seized when they executed 11 search warrants, including phone records and the contents of numerous electronic devices.
The premier, Doug Ford, was unaware of the escalating violence the towing industry is experiencing. He has appointed a task force to look at the current regulations of this industry and determine how to better it. While there are a handful of cities that currently have strict regulations on who can tow within the city limits and how much they can charge, very few municipalities actually require tow truck operators to have any kind of license.
The goal of the task force created in June 2020 is to create regulations for this industry that will keep tow truck operators across the province safe for everyone who works in it.
The investigations against all those involved in criminal activity in the towing industry are far from over. As of July, police in York Region had just charged two more people in connection to one of the homicides of a tow truck operator.
Tow Truck Vaughan takes these matters in our industry very seriously and do not take part in any of these illegal activities. If you are in need of a reputable towing service, give us a call at 647-799-2483.