When cars need to be towed in Waukegan because of an accident, an arrest, or some other official reason, the Police Department has a policy geared toward simplicity and efficiency. Some members of the City Council are suggesting something more complex.
Deputy Police Chief Craig Neal said the costs of a tow in the city are similar to those in nearby communities, and the primary purpose is to keep roadways clear and provide information to vehicle owners. Three towing companies are operating in distinct and defined areas of the city.
“With this map, someone who is knowledgeable with Police Department operations could easily tell someone within seconds where they can find their vehicle during a very disturbing time,” Neal said, referring to the map which delineates the assigned areas.
Neal gave a presentation on Waukegan’s longstanding vehicle towing policy during a City Council meeting on Monday at City Hall, letting community members know the program is viewable on the city’s website.
Though Neal said the policy is more than 25 years old, it was never easily available to the public. Transparency was recently added to make it viewable online, including the costs of towing and storage.
A primary reason for a police tow occurs when someone is arrested for an offense like driving under the influence. They are taken away from the vehicle, and it needs to be removed from the road. Neal said police also arrange a tow if a crash victim goes to the hospital in an ambulance.
“For over 25 years, we have been using this procedure, and it has worked for police department operations,” Neal said. “All three of our companies have been working well with us and have been good partners of police operations.”
Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, said she wants to see more clarification. Most of the tows she observes are done by a flatbed truck. Tows by all three companies are $225. There is an additional $50 for a flatbed vehicle.
“This is a good start,” Florian said. “I think we need to put it out for bid. We need to make sure the companies have the equipment we need that can tow our fire trucks, our public works trucks, because those vehicles break down too. We need to finish the process.”
Neal said the department has inquired about the costs in other nearby municipalities. The costs are similar. The local towing companies charge $225 for a tow. The cost is $275 in Zion, between $250 and $300 in Gurnee, $250 in Libertyville and $250 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Ald. Thomas Hayes, 9th Ward, also wants to see competitive pricing. He asked Neal if the city might object to putting out a request for qualifications for towing proposals. Neal said the department will do what the council legislates, but the current system is effective.
“We have something that works,” Neal said. “If we’re going to do something different, something we might not have thought of that may arise, and it would take time getting a new company up to our expectations.”
All costs are paid by the vehicle owner. Neal said the chief of police has the authority to question the costs. The price is the same for all three towing partners — JR’s Wreckers, Lake County Towing and Whitmore’s Wrecker Services — which have specific designated areas.
Lake County Towing services the area West of Lewis Avenue and North of Glen Flora Avenue, according to city records. Whitmore’s is responsible for everything East of Lewis, north of Grand Avenue and all of Glen Flora. JR’s takes care of everything south of Grand Avenue.
In 2025, Neal said there were 1,330 tows and 1,584 in 2024.
When there is an arrest for an offense like a DUI, a crash, an abandoned vehicle or some other reason an individual cannot take their car from a crash scene, a tow is ordered by the police, according to the policy. The three partners must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The companies must meet all state and local qualifications.
Neal said all three towing companies work well with the police department. The company’s job is to effectively remove and store the vehicle. The police want officers available for other duties should something arise.
“Our goal is to get our officers off of the scenes and available to answer calls for service,” Neal said. “We need to get officers back to answering calls as soon as possible, and we hope to hold (to) this goal.”
Along with the basic cost of the two, vehicle owners have to pay for daily storage, additional conditions like a rollover, dealing with no key, being locked out of the car, labor and other expenses. Costs are higher for large trucks and heavy equipment.
