2013 New York Consolidated Laws
VAT - Vehicle & Traffic
Title 7 - RULES OF THE ROAD
Article 32 - (1200 - 1204) STOPPING, STANDING, AND PARKING
1204 - Officers authorized to remove illegally stopped vehicles.

 
    § 1204. Officers authorized to remove illegally stopped vehicles.  (a)
  Whenever  any police officer, or in a city having a population in excess
  of one million any person designated by the commissioner of  traffic  of
  such  city  or  on highways under the jurisdiction of the New York state
  thruway authority, the office of parks and  recreation,  a  county  park
  commission,  a  parkway  authority,  a  bridge authority or a bridge and
  tunnel authority any person designated by  such  office,  commission  or
  authority,  finds  a vehicle standing upon a highway in violation of any
  of the foregoing provisions of  this  article  such  officer  is  hereby
  authorized  to  move such vehicle, or require the driver or other person
  in charge of the vehicle to move the same to a position off the paved or
  main-traveled part of such highway.
    (b) 1. Whenever any police officer, or in a city having  a  population
  in  excess  of  one million any person designated by the commissioner of
  traffic of such city or on highways under the jurisdiction  of  the  New
  York  state  thruway  authority,  the  office of parks and recreation, a
  county park commission, a parkway authority, a  bridge  authority  or  a
  bridge  and  tunnel  authority  any  person  designated  by such office,
  commission or authority finds a vehicle unattended where it  constitutes
  an  obstruction  to  traffic,  or  any place where stopping, standing or
  parking is prohibited, such officer is hereby authorized to provide  for
  the  removal  of  such  vehicle,  semitrailer  or  trailer  to a garage,
  automobile pound or other place of safety.
    2. In any city with a population of one million or more, whenever  any
  police officer, or any person designated by the commissioner of traffic,
  finds  a  semitrailer  or  trailer  without  a tractor or towing vehicle
  attached, parked or unattended on  any  city  street,  such  officer  or
  person designated by the commissioner of traffic is hereby authorized to
  provide  for  the  removal  of  such semitrailer or trailer to a garage,
  automobile pound or other place of safety.
    (c) The owner or other person lawfully entitled to the  possession  of
  such  vehicle  may  be  charged  with  a reasonable cost for removal and
  storage, payable before the vehicle is released.
    (d) No police officer or other public,  state  or  municipal  employee
  shall  release  a  motor  vehicle  impounded  because  of any traffic or
  parking violation to any person who does  not  have  a  currently  valid
  driver's   license   and  an  insurance  identification  card  or  other
  acceptable  evidence  indicating  current  insurance  coverage  on  such
  vehicle.  The  provisions  of this subdivision with respect to insurance
  coverage shall not apply to a motor vehicle  which  will  not  be  moved
  under  its  own  power  but  will  be transported by a tow truck or upon
  another vehicle, provided  that  the  registration  for  such  impounded
  vehicle  has  been  surrendered  to  the  commissioner and proof of such
  surrender is presented to the police officer or other public,  state  or
  municipal employee.