[bsder]

> I think it's highly unlikely that towing is guaranteed to be a profit centre vs. a cost centre in police/city budgets

Towing is massively profitable and almost all the companies have a "kickback" arrangement with the local police enforcement.

This kind of thing is in the same bin with "civil forfeiture" in the US. The whole idea that the criminal justice system gets ANY money from the criminals themselves sets up so many perverse incentives it's ridiculous.

This is the real reason why marijuana legalization is taking so long. Removing weed fines from the coffers of law enforcement is going to blow big holes in their budgets so they fight legalization tooth and nail.

[Teever]

Oh I'm aware that someone is making money off towing, I just question the assertion as to whether or not it is a money making activity for local governments, because I have a feeling that on the whole it's a net negative for some places, in part due to the kick-backs you describe.

[voakbasda]

Yes, the towing racket is a net negative for society, but the kickbacks make it positively pay off for the players involved.