POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL

Section: Command Operations Page 1 of 3 Subject: 150-40 “WATCH YOUR ” AND VIN ETCHING PROGRAMS UPDATES: DATE EFFECTIVE: 2.04.01 (5/01/2002) 10/17/2011

PURPOSE To set forth the procedures applicable to the New York State Watch Your Car Program and the VIN Etching Program.

POLICY It is the policy of the Yonkers Police Department to provide the citizens of Yonkers with information about auto theft prevention and deterrence and to offer programs that have proven effective in deterring auto theft to the community. In accordance with this policy, the Department is making the New York State Watch Your Car Program and the VIN Etching Program available to the public.

PROCEDURE Watch Your Car Program The Watch Your Car Program is a nationwide auto theft prevention program that replaces local Combat Auto Theft programs. The program seeks to deter auto theft by identifying vehicles that are not usually operated during the early morning hours when auto thefts frequently occur, so the police can stop the vehicle to verify whether it has been stolen. Vehicles registered in the program are identified by decals affixed to the vehicle’s front and rear window. The decals are made of tamper-proof reflective material and have a design that will be used and recognized in all states. 1. The Watch Your Car Program shall be administered by the Community Affairs Division. Members of the public who wish to participate in the program may do so through the Community Affairs Division or one of the Department’s four precincts.

2. When the owner of a vehicle appears at a precinct to enroll in the program, the desk officer shall provide the owner with a detailed explanation of how the program works. The owner must be informed that by participating in the program, he or she is giving the police permission to stop the vehicle if they observe it being operated between 1:00 am and 5:00 am, which are identified as curfew hours.

3. The owner must be advised that, when the police attempt to stop an enrolled vehicle that is being operated during curfew hours, the police will take precautions consistent with felony vehicle stops because the vehicle is suspected of being stolen. Therefore, the owner must be advised to pull the vehicle over, turn off the engine, place and keep his/her hands on the , and follow the officers’ orders whenever they are stopped by the police while operating the vehicle during curfew hours.

4. If the owner decides to participate in the program, the desk officer shall view the owner’s license, registration, and insurance card. After verifying that these documents are in order, the desk officer shall give the owner a registration form to complete and sign. The desk officer

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PROCEDURE NUMBER: UPDATES DATE EFFECTIVE PAGE 150-40 2.04.01 (5/01/2002) 10/17/2011 2 of 3

shall provide the owner with assistance as necessary. Upon receipt of the completed registration form from the owner, the desk officer shall: a. Verify that the owner has completely and correctly entered the required information on the registration form. b. Fax a copy of the form to the Community Affairs Division. The original shall be retained on file at the precinct where the vehicle was registered. c. Affix the decals to the vehicle. The front window decal shall be affixed to the lower right side of the windshield. The other decal shall be affixed to the rear window. d. Advise the owner of the availability and particulars of the Department’s VIN Etching Program.

5. If the owner of the vehicle is enrolling the vehicle in the program through the Community Affairs Division, the procedures set forth above shall apply, except that the Community Affairs Division officer who enrolls the vehicle shall make a copy of the registration form for the Community Affairs Division's files and forward the original registration form to the precinct in which the owner resides.

6. The Community Affairs Division shall be responsible for maintaining a file of all vehicles en- rolled in the Watch Your Car Program and for ensuring that adequate supplies of decals and registration forms are available to the precincts.

7. The Watch Your Car Program provides police officers with reasonable suspicion to stop an enrolled vehicle that is being operated during curfew hours to determine whether it has been stolen. Officers conducting such investigative stops shall notify the Communications Division of the location and plate number of the vehicle and shall otherwise adhere to applicable Department policies with respect to such stops. Officers conducting investigative stops in connection with the Watch Your Car Program should remember that it may be possible that the owner or the owner’s authorized representative is operating the vehicle during curfew hours.

VIN Etching Program The VIN Etching Program is a proven method of auto theft deterrence that may lower a car owner’s insurance rates. The vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is permanently acid-etched onto each window of the vehicle. Vehicles that have been VIN etched are less attractive to thieves because “chop shops” do not want with etched windows because the etched VIN number cannot be altered without damaging the window. 1. The VIN Etching Program shall be administered by the Community Affairs Division. Members of the public who wish to participate in the program may do so through the Community Affairs Division or one of the Department’s four precincts. Vehicle owners shall be advised of the availability and particulars of the Department’s VIN Etching Program when they enroll in the Watch Your Car Program.

2. When the owner of a vehicle advises the desk officer at a precinct that he or she wants to participate in the VIN Etching Program, the desk officer shall provide the owner with a detailed explanation of how the program works. The owner must be informed that by participating in the program, he or she is giving the Department permission to permanently acid-etch the vehicle’s VIN on all of the vehicle’s windows.

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POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

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3. If the owner decides to participate in the program, the desk officer shall assist the owner in scheduling an appointment for VIN etching with appropriately trained personnel.

4. The police officer who is executing the VIN etching shall view the owner’s license, registration, and insurance card. After verifying that these documents are in order, the officer shall give the owner a registration form (YPD-63) to complete and sign. The officer shall provide the owner with assistance as necessary. Upon receipt of the completed registration form from the owner, the officer shall: a. Verify that the owner has completely and correctly entered the required information on the registration form. b. Enter the vehicle information into the VIN-etching computer to verify that the VIN matches the vehicle. c. After verifying that the information is correct, print out the appropriate number of stencils for the vehicle. Six stencils are needed for sedan-type vehicles and eight stencils are needed for vans. d. Verify that the VIN on all stencil strips is correct. e. Ask the owner to check the stencil strips and verify that the VIN number on all strips is correct. f. Clean the glass areas to be etched. The areas being etched must be clean and completely dry. g. Check to ensure that all of the vehicle’s windows are closed. h. Execute the VIN etching in accordance with applicable training and procedures. i. After completion of the VIN etching, ask the owner whether he or she would like to have decals indicating that the vehicle’s windows have been VIN etched affixed to the vehicle. If the owner wants the decals, affix one decal to each of the vehicle’s front door windows on the inside of the window over the etching. j. Give the owner a confirmation form for their insurance company. k. Make a copy of the YPD-63, which shall be retained on file at the precinct where the etching was performed. l. Fax a copy of the YPD-63 to the Community Affairs Division and forward the original to the Community Affairs Division.

5. If the owner of the vehicle participates in the program through the Community Affairs Division, the procedures set forth above shall apply except that the Community Affairs Division officer who executes the VIN etching shall retain the original YPD-63 for the Community Affairs Division’s files and forward a copy of the YPD-63 to the precinct in which the owner resides.

6. The Community Affairs Division shall be responsible for maintaining a file of all vehicles en- rolled in the VIN Etching Program. The Community Affairs Division shall train officers to execute VIN etching and shall be responsible for ensuring that decals, registration forms, and VIN etching supplies are available to the precincts.

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