Latest news with #DavidBoysen
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Change to ‘X-Train' ordinance would allow KDPS to tow involved vehicles off the street
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A change to an ordinance in Kalamazoo will make it easier for officers to tow vehicles involved in mobile nuisance parties known as 'X-Trains.' Kalamazoo City Council passed the change Monday night, which would allow Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Officers to tow vehicles that have violated the mobile nuisance ordinance after receiving a warning. The original mobile nuisance ordinance, passed in 2019, was meant to combat the parties. 'It's a problem. Number one (because of) noise, disturbing the neighborhoods and the quality of life that it impacts,' KDPS Chief David Boysen . 'But it's also really a safety concern for us. Because these cars will be three to four deep or wide across the street and the street is completely gridlocked and blocked.' Proposed ordinance aims to tow 'X-Train' vehicles in Kalamazoo Because of the change, KDPS officers can tow a car after the 'X-Train' party if it's parked on a public lot or on the side of the street. However, they'll still need to get a search warrant to tow a vehicle out of a private driveway or backyard. Under the ordinance before the chance, officers would have needed to get approval from a judge to tow a car, regardless of its location. Boysen said last year, 23 vehicles were impounded during the parties. After the city started the initiative to get seizure orders for vehicles that were seen at an 'X-Train,' more cars were identified — 129 so far in 2025. He said 34% of those are Kalamazoo cars, 32% are from out of state and 17% are rental cars. Boysen said there has been a decrease in activity at 'X-Train' parties since the ordinance was first implemented. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Proposed ordinance aims to tow ‘X-Train' vehicles in Kalamazoo
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A proposed city ordinance in Kalamazoo looks to make it easier for officers to tow vehicles involved in mobile nuisance parties known as 'X-trains.' The change would allow the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety to impound a vehicle used in a nuisance party later, when it's easier for police to tow it. Officers will send a warning letter to the registered vehicle owner. If that warning is violated within six months, the car will be on the list to be impounded. If the car is parked on private property, police would need a warrant to impound the car. KDPS Chief David Boysen said the mobile parties put people at risk. 'You have crowds of cars blocking the streets. We can't get emergency apparatus down the streets. So if you have a medical emergency and you live in those neighborhoods, we can't get to you,' he said. Drone video released by the department in 2022 shows lines of cars filling a neighborhood, grinding traffic to a halt. Boysen said the issue has been improving as the department's strategy evolves. Previous strategies involved officers issuing tickets or making arrests at the street parties, but it was a tax on resources. 'We'd have to do giant overtime operations, bringing a lot of people, which was effective the nights we did it. But the next weekend, when we couldn't sustain that kind of staffing, it was back to normal,' said Chief Boysen. In 2023, the department focused on the vehicles rather than just the people involved. Police used photos and video to keep track of cars at the parties. A warning letter was sent to owners, which Boysen said was a major deterrent. 'A lot of those folks that got those warning letters, some of them didn't even know that maybe a family member, friend was using their car and maybe they were asleep and their car was being used to do illegal activity that they weren't aware of,' he said. Repeat offenders risked seeing their car towed. A few cars were impounded during the X-Train parties, but that had a limit. 'During those instances where there's a lot of cars, it takes a lot of manpower to even impound cars,' said the KDPS chief. 'You get them stand by the car, wait for a tow truck to arrive. We have to worry about the crowds and keep the officers safe and the scene safe. So I think people realize it's kind of safety in numbers,' he said. Boysen said officers would send requests through the courts to impound cars after the events. The proposed ordinance change would streamline that process by giving officers the authority to impound the vehicle if there was 'reasonable cause' that it was used at the party. 'We really finally found a strategy that works,' Boysen said. During the city commission meeting, commissioners said they wanted to see an end to the mobile parties. One community member expressed opposition to the change. They said the change seemed geared at protecting property rather than people. 'This isn't just about property value, this isn't just about people having a good time in the street,' said Commissioner Chris Praedel. 'These are people who have a home and who are blocked into their home at all hours of the night. Who have sleeping children, who have to get up to work the next day. Who wonder how the heck they are going to get out of their house if there's an emergency. How the heck are they going to get back home?' he said. The proposed change passed the first reading in a unanimous vote. It will have to pass another reading before it is fully adopted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
