PARA Hails Philadelphia’s Electronic Repo Reporting Pilot as Major Industry Milestone

Association credits years of cooperation with the Philadelphia Police Department for modernizing repossession reporting and improving agent safety.

Dear PARA Members and Industry Partners,

On behalf of the Pennsylvania Association of Repossession Agents (PARA), I am pleased to announce a significant milestone for the repossession industry in the City of Philadelphia.

Over the past three years, PARA has worked closely with the leadership of the Philadelphia Police Department to address long-standing concerns regarding the City’s repossession reporting ordinance. Under the previous procedure, every repossessed vehicle was required to be physically transported to the police district where the repossession occurred so that an officer could conduct an in-person inspection before the vehicle could be removed from the city.

While we understood the intent of the ordinance, the process often required repossession agents to wait extended periods of time—frequently an hour or more—outside police districts with the repossessed vehicle. This unnecessary delay created avoidable safety concerns by increasing the likelihood that consumers could locate the vehicle during the waiting period, resulting in confrontations that placed agents at risk and, in many cases, forced them to abandon the recovery in order to avoid a breach of the peace or potential violence.

After years of productive discussions and collaboration, we are excited to announce that the Philadelphia Police Department will begin a new Repossession Reporting Pilot Program effective August 3, 2026. During this pilot, repossession companies operating within the 8th, 19th, 26th, and 39th Police Districts will report qualifying repossessions electronically via email rather than transporting every vehicle to the district for inspection. Repossessions outside of those districts will continue to follow the existing reporting procedures until the pilot is complete.

Read The Repossession Reporting Pilot Program Here!

The purpose of this pilot is to identify and resolve any operational issues before expanding the electronic reporting process citywide. We are optimistic that this modernized approach will improve public safety, reduce unnecessary risk to repossession agents, increase operational efficiency, and allow law enforcement resources to be utilized more effectively.

This represents a major step forward for our profession and demonstrates what can be accomplished when industry leaders and law enforcement work together toward practical solutions. PARA is proud to have played a key role in advocating for these changes and appreciates the willingness of the Philadelphia Police Department to engage with us throughout this process.

I would also like to personally thank the members of the Philadelphia Police Department who invested their time and effort in listening to our concerns and developing this pilot program. Their professionalism and willingness to collaborate have resulted in a solution that benefits both law enforcement and the repossession industry while enhancing safety for everyone involved.

Attached is the Philadelphia Police Department’s Information Bulletin outlining the pilot program and reporting procedures. We encourage all repossession agencies operating within Philadelphia to review the document carefully and ensure their staff are familiar with the new process before the August 3 implementation date.

PARA will continue working with the Philadelphia Police Department throughout the pilot period and will provide updates as the program progresses toward citywide implementation.

Thank you for your continued support of PARA and for your commitment to conducting repossessions professionally, safely, and in accordance with the law.

PARA Hails Philadelphia’s Electronic Repo Reporting Pilot as Major Industry Milestone – PARA Hails Philadelphia’s Electronic Repo Reporting Pilot as Major Industry Milestone – PARA Hails Philadelphia’s Electronic Repo Reporting Pilot as Major Industry Milestone

Sincerely,

Jeremy Cross
President
Pennsylvania Association of Repossession Agents (PARA)