DENVER — The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles reported a 30% surge in vehicle registrations following a monthlong enforcement campaign by the Denver Police Department targeting expired vehicle registrations and temporary license plates.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said the intensified enforcement between July 15 and Aug. 15 was prompted by an overwhelming number of community complaints. During this period, Denver drivers risked a $95 fine for failing to renew their vehicle registrations or temporary license plates.
From this enforcement, the DMV processed 11,000 more registrations than the previous month.
“I think that recognizing that, yes, I can be held accountable for this, I think that encouraged people to, you know, to make sure that their vehicles were registered on time,” Thomas said.
In May, the chief had initially implemented a policy where officers would not engage in low-level traffic enforcement. However, the policy was temporarily adjusted in response to persistent community concerns about unregistered vehicles.
“When people obey the rules, they want other people to obey the rules. I am sensitive to that being a reasonable desire,” Thomas said. “But I still think that at the end of the day, we need to make sure that we focus our officers on things that are most important.”
During the enforcement period, DPD issued over 400 citations for expired registrations. While Thomas was pleased that the crackdown spurred more drivers to comply with registration requirements, he emphasized that such traffic stops do not align with his broader public safety goals.
“If you have officers that are conducting a bunch of low-level stops, not only is there potential for disparate impact, but also you are spending your time doing those things, rather than being available to respond to emergency calls for service and patrolling high-crime neighborhoods,” Thomas said.
The chief indicated that while he may reintroduce similar enforcement measures if community complaints resurface, he hopes such actions won’t be necessary.
“I still hope that people realize that there is a need to be responsible and register your vehicle appropriately, not just so that you can avoid getting a ticket in Denver,” he said.
Although the specific enforcement policy has ended, Denver drivers should be aware that parking citations for expired plates are still being issued. Officers can also still cite expired registrations as a secondary offense.
For more information on vehicle registration or renewal, including branch and kiosk locations and online services, Denver residents can visit the Denver Motor Vehicle website.