BELLMEAD, Texas (KXXV) — Bellmead's Tag & Tow program removes inoperable and unsightly vehicles from public right of ways 72 hours after being tagged. It aims to enhance the city's appearance.
- Inoperable, unsightly, and vehicles with expired state registrations are targeted for removal
- Police place a 72-hour courtesy warning on vehicles before they are towed
- The initiative mainly focuses on residential areas and tags around 20-30 vehicles monthly
- After a vehicle is tagged, it has to be brought to compliance or moved within 72 hours
- Owners must bring vehicles to compliance or face towing costs
- Code enforcement handles vehicles on private property
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"What can we do to make Bellmead better and beautify it," Shawn Myatt said.
Police say Bellmead's Tag & Tow program is one citywide initiative to clean up our community. It allows inoperable, unsightly, and expired state registration vehicles to be removed from public roadways.
"This is a part that we can be a part of as a police agency to assist in helping beautify Bellmead," he said.
The police department will place this 72-hour courtesy warning on a junk vehicle before it's removed. A junk vehicle is an unregistered, dismantled, or not mechanically sound vehicle that has been sitting in the same spot for a long time. Tag and tow is mainly focused on residential areas.
"I think it does help bring down crime, and it's part of the bigger picture of things, not just the crime itself," Chief Myatt said. "It fixes a lot of questions for our city that need to be answered."
Chief Myatt says the program, which started in February, tags around 20 to 30 vehicles monthly. After a vehicle is tagged, it must either be brought to compliance or removed from the area.
"The most important part of this is if you find your vehicle with a red tag on it, this is what we would like for you to do: bring it to compliance by airing up the tires, getting its registration and insurance, and making the vehicle operable," he said.
If the vehicle is not brought to compliance or moved in 72 hours, it will be towed. The towing cost is paid by the registered owner.
However, the Tag & Tow program is for junk vehicles, not abandoned cars. Once an abandoned vehicle is tagged, the owner has only 48 hours to remove it before it's towed.
