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The arguments and antics involving tattoo-clad “repo” men and women on True TV is not the way it happens in Indiana.
In the popular show, employers of a repossession company are shown taking possession of vehicles and arguing — and sometimes fighting — with the owners.
Local police are making sure those antics don’t happen in Indiana by helping push a new bill requiring repo agents to notify law enforcement prior to repossessing a vehicle or property.
Senate Bill 174, the brainchild of Special Deputy Tom Dinardo of the Howard County Sheriff Department, was passed into law last week, Sheriff Marty Talbert said.
“Tom was in my office when we overheard an officer being informed that the stolen vehicle report he took earlier in the morning was actually a repossession,” said Talbert.
Police often respond to vehicle thefts, write up reports and investigate only to find the vehicle in question had been repossessed.
“This was good common sense legislation, just like our last effort,” the sheriff said of a prior bill concerning sheriff sales.
Last year, the Howard County Sheriff Department was largely responsible for legislative action that eliminated the requirement that notices of sheriff sales be posted in three public locations within the township where the property was located.
Regarding the new repo bill, Talbert expressed thanks to Sen. Jimmy Arnold, Sen. Jim Buck and Rep. Ron Herrell for their help in passing the bill.
The bill requires a repossession agent to contact law enforcement prior to taking possession of a vehicle or watercraft.
Before, there was no requirement to notify law enforcement that a repossession has or was going to take place.
The bill would require a repossession agent to contact the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction either before but not later than one hour after taking possession of the vehicle or watercraft. The agent would be required to provide his identity, as well as information concerning the description of the vehicle or watercraft repossessed, the owner’s information, and the location of vehicle or watercraft.
“We are going to see more repossessions occurring with this struggling economy, and after we began talking to other sheriffs, we found that virtually every sheriff department statewide has dealt with this same issue,” Talbert said.
Failure to notify a law enforcement agency of repossession will be a Class C infraction, punishable by a fine of up to $500. There is no jail time associated with infractions.
The arguments and antics involving tattoo-clad “repo” men and women on True TV is not the way it happens in Indiana.
In the popular show, employers of a repossession company are shown taking possession of vehicles and arguing — and sometimes fighting — with the owners.
Local police are making sure those antics don’t happen in Indiana by helping push a new bill requiring repo agents to notify law enforcement prior to repossessing a vehicle or property.
Senate Bill 174, the brainchild of Special Deputy Tom Dinardo of the Howard County Sheriff Department, was passed into law last week, Sheriff Marty Talbert said.
“Tom was in my office when we overheard an officer being informed that the stolen vehicle report he took earlier in the morning was actually a repossession,” said Talbert.
Police often respond to vehicle thefts, write up reports and investigate only to find the vehicle in question had been repossessed.
“This was good common sense legislation, just like our last effort,” the sheriff said of a prior bill concerning sheriff sales.
Last year, the Howard County Sheriff Department was largely responsible for legislative action that eliminated the requirement that notices of sheriff sales be posted in three public locations within the township where the property was located.
Regarding the new repo bill, Talbert expressed thanks to Sen. Jimmy Arnold, Sen. Jim Buck and Rep. Ron Herrell for their help in passing the bill.
The bill requires a repossession agent to contact law enforcement prior to taking possession of a vehicle or watercraft.
Before, there was no requirement to notify law enforcement that a repossession has or was going to take place.
The bill would require a repossession agent to contact the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction either before but not later than one hour after taking possession of the vehicle or watercraft. The agent would be required to provide his identity, as well as information concerning the description of the vehicle or watercraft repossessed, the owner’s information, and the location of vehicle or watercraft.
“We are going to see more repossessions occurring with this struggling economy, and after we began talking to other sheriffs, we found that virtually every sheriff department statewide has dealt with this same issue,” Talbert said.
Failure to notify a law enforcement agency of repossession will be a Class C infraction, punishable by a fine of up to $500. There is no jail time associated with infractions.