Letters: How ex-cop sees the towing scene

I'm a retired police sergeant who spent most of my 32 years in Highway Patrol.

Some of my duties as a sergeant included working on our two main interstates (I-95 and 76 ), and this wreck-chasing by the towing industry has always been out of control.

I've been at accident scenes where the tow drivers were in heated arguments or pushing each other back and forth. I would remove all towers from the scene. Or I'd be off duty and would see a tow truck speeding through the neighborhood, going through red lights, just to get to the accident.

Councilman Rizzo introduced a rotation system, but it does not work. No one knows how it works, and - as you can see - the wreck-chasers are still in business.

There is a program in place now that's run by the police for recovered stolen autos. This program works. A police officer recovers a stolen car, within a half hour the car is towed to a facility that has been inspected and approved by the Police Department.

All charges are controlled by the police as well. No holding a car hostage for the outrageous tow bills these wreck-chasers try to extort.

Let the police Neighborhood Services Unit run this rotation for accidents, and you'll have a much more organized operation and no more shootings. Let L&I issue the towing permits, and the police run the rotation.

Richard J. Cray, Philadelphia

nolead begins

I just read the Meryl Levitz's op-ed on the value to the city of festivals and events.

She was right on the money with her take on how every town needs cultural events to share common experiences.

Really enjoyed the part where she said we're also in an emotional recession also.

(I live in north-central Jersey so I don't get to read the Daily News enough.)

Frank Bayak Jr.

South Plainfield, N.J.