Colorado Springs Police say response time for abandoned cars is longer due to ‘limited manpower’

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Abandoned cars sitting on the side of I-25 are seeming to become more apparent and more common as they sit there for longer periods.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, whenever a situation like this happens, they make a note of the vehicle and start a three-day countdown. If the driver doesn't pick up the vehicle by the time the three days are up, the police are supposed to tow it.

This isn't always the case.

CSPD said because they are operating on limited staffing, the department is prioritizing which incidents to respond to.

If an abandoned car is not obstructing a roadway, the response time to remove the vehicle will take extra time.

CSPD told KRDO they're not the only agency responsible. For stretches off I-25 north and south, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) mostly covers the towing.

Gabriel Moltrer, the Colorado State Patrol's Public Information Officer states, "What we do when we encounter a battered vehicle, we run the plate through dispatch, check on it, make sure there's no occupants. If it is abandoned and there's no information on, say, the window or anything, what we'll do is we'll leave what is called a 48-hour red tag."

This means the state patrol gives the owner of a vehicle two days to remove it themselves.

If the car is still there, CSP will call a towing company it has on rotation and get the vehicle relocated.