SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – Starting Sunday, San Francisco police will begin a new policy on  impounding the vehicles of unlicensed drivers, a practice some community  members had complained unfairly targeted undocumented immigrants.

In a shift from the current policy whereby the vehicles of  unlicensed drivers pulled over in traffic stops would be immediately towed,  police will now give those drivers 20 minutes for a licensed and insured  person to arrive and drive off the vehicle.

A second offense within six months would result in an immediate  30-day impound of the vehicle.

At a Board of Supervisors hearing earlier this year, members of  the immigrant community complained some were being pulled over by police  without cause, and worried about possible racial motivations for traffic  stops, an accusation police denied. Vehicle impounds are also costly to  members of the community struggling to maintain low-paying jobs, community  members said.

Mayor Gavin Newsom says police Chief George Gascon "worked  hard on this policy" and felt it was "the right thing to do."

The change was addressing "what was perceived as racial  profiling," Newsom said.

Newsom -- who is under fire from San Francisco's immigrant  community for his plans to reject a proposal that would modify the city's  sanctuary ordinance on reporting undocumented youth accused of felony crimes  -- said the vehicle policy is intended to balance the immigrant community's  concerns with those of police, and to "build trust in the community."

Newsom rejected the idea that the new policy would allow  undocumented immigrants to flout the law.

"Changing the policy -- for 20 minutes -- to me, is not skirting  that," he said. He said the issue was being blown out of proportion.

"To the extent that the 20-minute grace period becomes a concern,  we'll fix it -- period," Newsom said.

The new policy was initiated under the administration of prior  police Chief Heather Fong, but will be implemented by Gascon.

On Monday, police insisted the policy change was about public safety.

"This is not a policy about undocumented residents, it's about  unlicensed drivers, and it applies to everyone, regardless of immigration  status," said police spokesman Officer Boaz Mariles.

Mariles acknowledged the policy arose out of immigrant community  concerns, including financial hardship -- with citation and towing costs  running into the hundreds of dollars.

"But we think this is definitely a way to ensure better, safer  streets," he said.

Mariles said some unlicensed drivers buy unsafe vehicles knowing  they are likely to be impounded if they are stopped, and he speculated that  might change if they know "there's a way for me to get my car back."

The 20-minute time limit will be subject to the police officer's  discretion. Mariles said he didn't believe it would place an extra burden on  officers.

"And we think it's progressive, we think it's forward thinking,  and we think other (police) departments will take notice," Mariles said.
           
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