ATPA Summaries

Arizona Automobile Theft Authority

Mission

To deter vehicle theft in Arizona through a cooperative effort by supporting law enforcement activities, vertical prosecution, and public awareness & community education programs.

Statute

The Arizona Legislature established the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA) in its present form in 1997 which consists of a twelve (12) member board of directors. The purpose of the Authority is to combat and reverse the incidence of vehicle theft throughout the State of Arizona. A.R.S. §41.3451(c) (3) through (7) identifies the tasks of the Authority:

• Determine the scope of the problem of automobile theft, including areas of the state where the problem is greatest.
• Analyze the various methods of combating the problem of motor vehicle theft.
• Develop and implement a plan of operation.
• Develop and implement a financial plan.
• Solicit and accept gifts and grants.

A.R.S. §41.3451(g) defines how the Authority is to carry out its mission: The automobile theft authority shall allocate monies in the fund to public agencies for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and supporting programs that are designed to prevent motor vehicle theft, including:

• Financial support to law enforcement and prosecution agencies for programs that are designed to increase the effectiveness of motor vehicle theft prosecution.
• Financial support for programs that are designed to educate and assist the public in the prevention of motor vehicle theft.

Funding

The AATA collects $1.00 per vehicle insured in the State of Arizona ($0.50 bi-annually). The funds are deposited into the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority Fund.

Board of Directors

The Arizona Automobile Theft Authority Board of Directors consists of the following members:

1. Two police chiefs who are appointed by the Arizona chiefs' of police association, one of whom represents a city or town with a population of one hundred thousand or more persons and one of whom represents a city or town with a population of less than one hundred thousand persons, or their designees.
2. Two sheriffs who are appointed by the Arizona sheriffs' association, one of whom represents a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more persons and one of whom represents a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons, or their designees.
3. Two county attorneys who are appointed by the governor, one of whom represents a county with a population of one million or more persons and one of whom represents a county with a population of less than one million persons, or their designees.
4. Two employees of insurers who are licensed to write motor vehicle liability insurance in this state and who are appointed by the governor.
5. Two members of the general public who are appointed by the governor.
6. The assistant director for the motor vehicle division in the department of transportation or the assistant director's designee.
7. The director of the department of public safety or the director's designee.

The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority

Mission

The mission of the Colorado Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) is, “To deter and reduce vehicle theft and insurance fraud through a statewide cooperative effort of generating funds to support law enforcement, prosecution and public awareness through a partnership between industry and state government”. This mission is guided by Colorado Revised Statue 43-5-12 and supported by the CATPA Board of Directors.

Statute

• The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority was established by Senate Bill 08-060 in 2003. The CATPA Board went right to work reviewing grant requests and awarding funds donated from the insurance companies to organizations for use in the determent of auto theft. The reduction of auto theft through grant funds was a success!
• With this success, on July 1, 2008 statute established new mandatory funding for CATPA through 2018. CATPA is a cash-funded program that awards grants through the required annual collection by insurance companies of $1.00 for every insured vehicle.
• The statute gives priority to multi-agency applicants that target auto theft in different geographical regions of the state. Auto theft investigations also target related crimes such as drug running, gang activity, burglary and organized crimes.

Need

• The new Colorado law helps ensure that auto theft prevention efforts are targeted and long-term commitments.
• These efforts have resulted in an increase in stolen vehicle recoveries and criminal prosecutions of hard-core and major organized criminal groups, as well as related crimes. Since CATPA efforts have been launched, the number of stolen vehicles in Colorado has decreased by over 40%—from 22,032 vehicles in 2003 to 12,302 in 2009. (Source: *Colorado Auto Theft Investigators, CATI Report 14Feb11).

CATPA Board

• This legislation established authority for the CATPA Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of 11 members that include representatives from the Department of Revenue, Colorado State Patrol, two (2) law enforcement agencies, five (5) insurance representatives, one (1) consumer representative and one (1) representative from the Statewide Association of District Attorney’s.

Grant Funding

• The CATPA grant announcement, application and grant questions are posted at www.csp.state.co.us under I’d like to…
• Qualified applicants include Colorado law enforcement agencies, state agencies, local units of government, school districts, nonprofit and for profit organizations that can demonstrate that their program addresses motor vehicle theft prevention.

Prevention

Education and prevention campaigns have been targeted to bring awareness about auto theft and the serious crimes associated with auto theft. The http://www.lockdownyourcar.org/ provides valuable information to the public to protect yourself and lock your car.

Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority

LSA-R.S. 22:2131 et seq. established the Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (LATIFPA) in 2004, and subsequently established statutory revenue support for the LATIFPA’s educational and public awareness outreach programs. A public agency within the Louisiana Department of Insurance, LATIFPA is tasked with combating motor vehicle insurance fraud, including fraud by theft and other criminal acts.

LSA-R.S. 22:2134 established the Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority Fund. This specially created fund is the mechanism used to collect and disburse funds through a grant process for the purpose of reducing motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud.

In accordance with LSA-R.S. 22:2134, LATIFPA is authorized to solicit and accept gifts, grants, donations, loans and other assistance from any person or entity, private or public. LATIFPA is authorized to establish programs in conjunction with other state agencies, local governing authorities and law enforcement agencies for motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud prevention, detection and enforcement. LATIFPA is authorized to make grants to other state agencies, local governing authorities and law enforcement agencies for motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud prevention, detection and enforcement. LATIFPA is also authorized to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with any public or private association, corporation or individual which has a similar obligation and purpose as long as all expenditures are for a public purpose and create a public benefit proportionate to the cost. In 2010, the Louisiana legislature passed Act 1013, authorizing funds each fiscal year from the insurance fraud assessment for LATIFPA’s educational and public awareness programs.

LATIFPA is governed by an 11-member board of directors representing the Department of Insurance and related governmental entities. The board includes the Commissioner of Insurance or his designee, the State Treasurer or his designee, a representative of the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud Unit, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance or his designee, the chairman of the House Committee on Insurance or his designee, two members appointed by the Attorney General to represent law enforcement officials in this state, two members representing motor vehicle insurers doing business in this state, and two members representing purchasers of motor vehicle insurance. LATIFPA has a two-person staff.

LATIFPA uses a layered approach to reducing vehicle theft and insurance fraud that assists law enforcement, supports aggressive prosecution and increases public awareness and education. The LATIFPA website at www.ldi.la.gov/LATIFPA provides information about our programs and provides valuable information to the public on how to protect oneself from becoming a victim of vehicle theft and insurance fraud.

Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council

Pursuant to Maryland Public Safety Article 2-701-703, of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Vehicle Theft Prevention Council was established as a unit within the Department of Maryland State Police. The Council is charged with assisting in the prevention and deterrence of private passenger and commercial motor vehicle theft and related crime, including vandalism and theft of property from vehicles in the State; to improve and support vehicle theft law enforcement, prosecution, prevention/education, and juvenile diversion programs by establishing statewide planning capabilities and coordination of dedicated funding sources.

The Council consists of thirteen members appointed by the Governor, as follows:

Ex Officio Members

• The Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services or the Secretary’s designee.
• The Secretary of Juvenile Services or the Secretary’s designee.
• The Superintendent of the Maryland State Police or the Superintendent’s designee.
• The Administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

Regular Members

• One representative of a local law enforcement authority.
• One representative of a Maryland State Attorney’s Office.
• Two representatives of insurers that issue private passenger automobile or commercial motor vehicle liability insurance in the State, of which one shall be a domestic insurer and one shall be a foreign insurer.
• One representative of the Governor’s Office.
• One representative of the National Insurance Crime Bureau or similar organization.
• Three representatives of the general public, of which one shall be a representative of a neighborhood or community organization.

Organization of Council

Organization of the Council into working components to accomplish objectives will be at the discretion of the Chairman, with advice and assistance from the members and the Executive Director.

The Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Department of State Police serves as the legal advisor to the Council.

Administration of the Council

The Council will be assisted in its duties by an Executive Director and sufficient clerical and financial resources to carry out its duties. The Executive Director shall be employed by the Council and appointed by the Governor. All administrative and operational costs shall be paid from the Fund and may not exceed 7 percent of the total expenditures from the Fund in any fiscal year.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Council

The Council has the following powers and duties:

• To make grants and awards from the Fund for motor vehicle theft intervention programs.
• To solicit and accept funds for deposit to the Fund to be used to carry out the purposes of the Council.
• To establish or assist in the establishment of programs designed to reduce the incidence of vehicle theft and related crimes.
• To identify priorities for theft prevention strategies in the State and criteria for the Council’s evaluation of recipients of assistance from the Council.
• To study and propose laws that will further prevent and deter vehicle thefts and related crime.

Vehicle Theft Prevention Fund

The Vehicle Theft Prevention Fund, established in the Maryland Public Safety Article 2-703, is a non-lapsing dedicated fund. It includes:

• $2 million/fiscal year from penalties collected for lapsed or terminated insurance coverage (Transportation Article, § 17-106).

Grants and awards from the Fund will be available to a variety of organizations including State and local law enforcement agencies, local units of government, prosecutors, juvenile services, and community and business organizations to establish viable, cooperative motor vehicle theft prevention/deterrence/education programs.

Statewide Vehicle Theft Prevention Strategy

In developing a statewide vehicle theft prevention strategy, the Council has embraced the following programmatic approach based on efforts in other states which have proven effective in vehicle theft prevention.

• Prevention/Education
• Vehicle Theft by Juveniles
• Law Enforcement/Detection/Apprehension
• Prosecution/Adjudication/Conviction

Among the organizations that may want to apply for grants are county and municipal governments, local law enforcement agencies, local prosecutors’ offices, local school systems, institutions of higher education, State agencies, neighborhood, community or business organizations. Collaborative programs involving local law enforcement agencies and community organizations are strongly encouraged. All organizations receiving funds from the Council will be required to measure, evaluate and report on the effectiveness of their efforts.