Wichita police officers will soon be impounding cars connected with human trafficking cases.
A new ordinance has been approved by the City Council to allow for the impounding of vehicles if their owners have been arrested in a case related to human trafficking. Police Captain Travis Rakestraw said the ordinance is targeting the people commonly known as “johns” who drive to an area for the specific purpose of buying sexual relations.
Rakestraw said the vehicle would be impounded for a certain period of time. For someone who has no previous convictions related to human trafficking, that would be 72 hours. For someone with a prior conviction, the holding period would be 20 days. The holding period would be 72 hours if the vehicle is abandoned or the suspect is not apprehended. When the holding period has ended, the vehicle will be returned to the owner, who will be assessed the costs for impounding and storing the vehicle.
The ordinance allows a vehicle owner to contest the impoundment in municipal court, and if the court finds there was no probable cause for the arrest, the city would be responsible for the impound fees. The owner could also ask for an early release of the vehicle for an undue hardship.
Rakestraw said there are an estimated 57 incidents a year where a vehicle would be considered for impoundment. The arrests are generally the result of an undercover sting conducted by police.
