The Denver Police Department is ramping up its efforts to crack down on expired vehicle registrations and temporary license plates. Announced on social media, the department, along with seven other law enforcement agencies, will begin targeted enforcement starting April 20. This initiative aims to address the lingering issue of unregistered vehicles and to encourage compliance among vehicle owners.
The Denver Police Department has decided to strongly focus on these specific violations over the next month. The enforcement wave is set to span from April 20th through May 20th, exclusively for DPD, while the collective agencies, including the Colorado State Patrol and Aurora Police Department, among others, will participate from April 20th through April 26th. According to the Denver Police Department, this will mark the fourth enforcement period focusing on these issues since July 2024, demonstrating a consistent effort to systematically address the problem.
Previous enforcement efforts demonstrate the impact such initiatives can have. A joint enforcement period in September 2024 saw Denver Police officers cite 339 drivers for expired or false license plates, which led to a spike in vehicle registrations. Despite the progress, the ongoing problem of expired registrations has prompted another round of focused enforcement, with drivers urged to proactively register their vehicles to avoid being fined. Vehicle owners can renew their registration online or at a kiosk, as detailed on the Denver Motor Vehicle website. Yet it's worth noting that while there is a 30-day grace period for vehicle registrations post-expiration, this latitude does not extend to temporary license plates.
Underpinning this initiative is the May 2024 policy adopted by the Denver Police, which instructs officers to prioritize their efforts on serious traffic violations that could lead to crashes, like speeding or reckless driving. Lower-level offenses generally are not the focus, unless such a stop is backed by a suspicion of the vehicle or driver's involvement in more serious crimes. In light of this month's push, a clause from this policy allows officers to temporarily shift their attention to the typically lower priority of expired registrations and temporary plates.
