Combat Auto Theft - A Police and Community Partnership to Reduce Auto Theft in the Willamette Valley.
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Auto theft is a problem that exists in every major city in the United States. FBI statistics show that 1.7 million vehicles are stolen each year. That is one vehicle every 19 seconds. The loss is between six and eight billion dollars each year. People who have their vehicles stolen suffer major inconvenience, expense, loss of work time and loss of transportation. The cost of replacing a stolen vehicle results in higher insurance rates for all vehicle owners.
The Willamette Valley Police Departments are offering a program designed to reduce the number of auto thefts in the area. This program is called the C.A.T. Program (Combat Auto Theft).
Motor vehicle owners may voluntarily register for the CAT program. The Salem Police Department will provide a special decal to be placed in the rear window of participating autos. Once the decal is displayed, any police officer in Marion or Polk counties can stop the vehicle between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The officer will determine if the driver is the owner or someone authorized by the owner to be driving the vehicle. These decals signal police officers that the vehicle is owned by someone unlikely to be driving between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. and that the vehicle may have been stolen.
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This program is voluntary. In order to participate you must:
1. Complete a separate application/consent form for each vehicle that you own. The following information must be provided to register your vehicle:
*The vehicle must be registered to the person completing the application;
*The vehicle must be registered to a Marion or Polk county address;
*The application must be signed by one registered owner.
2. You must sign a waiver/consent form that gives law enforcement officers permission to stop the vehicle between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The waiver states you will not hold the police agency or its officers liable for any reasonable actions that result from the vehicle being stopped, and that you will remove the decals when you sell or transfer ownership of the vehicle.
3. After the waiver/consent form is complete, mail it to the Salem Police Department; Community Support Unit; 555 Liberty St SE, Rm 130; Salem, OR 97301. A $2.00 check needs to accompany the form; this money is used for the cost of the decal and mailing. The check needs to be made payable to Salem Police C.A.T.
4. You will be issued a numbered decal to be placed on the inside rear window of your vehicle. If your vehicle is stopped by a police officer, the officer will take reasonable steps to insure your vehicle is not stolen. The officers will attempt to contact you to see if the driver is authorized to drive the vehicle.
If you participate in the program and drive your vehicle between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., it is very likely your vehicle will be stopped by a police officer.
If you are stopped:
Remain calm.
Turn off your car and turn on your interior light so the officer can see you.
Listen for and follow any instruction given to you by the officer.
Present all information requested by the officer.
You are required by law to carry the following items any time you operate a motor vehicle:
Driver's license
Current registration
Proof of insurance
State law allows officers to tow moving vehicles under the following circumstances; the driver does not possess a valid driver's license, the driver is suspended/revoked or driving outside the conditions of the license, the driver cannot produce proof of insurance, or the driver is under the influence of intoxicants (DUII).
Participation is voluntary. Remember, if an officer stops your vehicle, then we are working together to defeat auto theft.
To register for the CAT program, complete an application/waiver form enclose a check for $2 and mail it to the Salem Police Community Response Team at 555 Liberty Street SE #130, Salem, OR 97301.
You'll receive a decal and instructions for applying the decal in the mail. Applications are available at the following locations:
Salem Police Department Marion County Sheriff's Office
Polk County Sheriff's Office Aumsville Police Department
Aurora Police Department Gervais Police Department
Hubbard Police Department Keizer Police Department
Mt. Angel Police Department Silverton Police Department
Stayton Police Department Turner Police Department
Dallas Police Department Woodburn Police Department
Independence Police Department Monmouth Police Department
If you have questions about the CAT program, please call the Salem Police Department's Community Response Unit at (503) 588-6175.
The CAT Program is sponsored by generous grants from Allstate Foundation, State Farm Insurance and Progressive Insurance.
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