DENVER — During the last week of April, eight law enforcement agencies across the Front Range, including the Denver Police Department, will target expired vehicle registrations and expired temporary license plates through a joint operation.
The multi-agency operation begins April 20 and ends April 26. However, Denver PD announced it will continue its expired registration enforcement through May 20.
Participating agencies include the Aurora Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, and Pueblo Police Department.
| April 20th – May 20th | Denver Police Department |
April 20th – April 26th | Aurora Police Department, Colorado Springs Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Fountain Police Department, Monument Police Department, and the Pueblo Police Department |
Denver PD said this is its fourth enforcement period since July 2024 and the second joint enforcement period with other Front Range law enforcement agencies. The first multi-agency operation occurred in September 2024, during which Denver police cited 339 drivers for expired and/ or fictitious license plates.
Drivers who are caught operating with an expired vehicle registration or expired temporary license plate will be cited. Temporary license plates expire right away, while vehicle registrations have a 30-day grace period.
Drivers caught traveling with expired registration are subject to a $95 fine, according to Denver police.
For more information, visit the Denver Motor Vehicle website.
Denver
DPD chief talks policy change after traffic stops drop nearly 50% since May
In May 2024, Denver PD adopted a "low-level traffic stops policy" and switched the focus of its Traffic Operations Division to "addressing serious, crash-causing violations," including:
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving
- Street racing
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Guns and gun violence
- Burglary
- Dangerous drugs
- Any other similarly serious crime
The policy "limits officers from conducting traffic stops for lower-level traffic offenses that do not pose a risk to public safety," including expired vehicle registration and expired temporary license plates, according to the department. However a clause in the policy states officers can conduct low-level traffic stops "if officers have reason to believe the driver and/or vehicle are involved in a serious crime, such as auto theft, robbery or burglary, hit-and-run crash, drug crimes, violent crime, etc."
The department said it is exercising its policy exception in order to conduct the April operation.
Department data from December 2024 showed that traffic stops had plummeted 47% in the months since that policy change. That same month, Denver7 sat down with Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas to talk about the drop in traffic stops and the policy overall.
- Watch the full interview with Chief Thomas in this story or the video player below
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