Towing Issues: impound payment, warrent, car owner

Question
I know someone that just got their car impounded by the cops because they needed to get a warrent to search.  The car owner refused them to search when they were pulled over.  The car was in impound for 3 days and that person didnt have to pay, the cops payed the impound.  Do they do that or is it going to come back to the owner at sometime?

Answer
In some cases the police pay for vehicles which are towed for evidence and searches, but it is a city by city case that I have found... Down here they do not pay for towing and storage unless it goes to their police department yard.

But I doubt that the owner will be billed for the towing and storage..