ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Police (APD) is delivering on a promise to go after drivers in cars without license plates following a widespread warning last week. In the last six days, APD said teams of officers have issued nearly 1,000 citations for “license plate-related infractions.”

Albuquerque’s Field Services Bureau and the Traffic Unit started the operation on Saturday, February 4, days after APD Chief Harold Medina posted a video about the problem on social media.

Drivers without a license plate face a $25 citation. However, ahead of the crackdown, Chief Medina noted the larger problem the issue can be connected to: some people are trying to conceal their identity by driving without a plate.

Albuquerque Police provided these stats from just one day of plate patrols by the Traffic Unit. The following numbers were generated on Wednesday, February 8, 2023:

  • Northwest Area Command
    • 16 stops
      • 10 expired plate
      • 3 expired temp tag
      • 5 evidence of registration
      • 9 illegible plates
  • Southwest Area Command
    • 6 stops
      • 1 no plate
      • 3 expired plate
      • 4 evidence of registration
  • Valley Area Command
    • 8 stops
      • 8 expired plates
      • 4 evidence of registration
      • 2 improper display of plate
      • 1 illegible plate
  • Southeast Area Command
    • 22 stops
      • 2 no plate
      • 5 Expired plates
      • 20 evidence of registration
      • 8 Improper display of plate
  • Northeast Area Command
    • 33 stops
      • 10 expired plates
      • 25 evidence or registration
      • 11 improper display
  • Foothills Area Command
    • 11 stops
      • 1 no plate
      • 5 expired plate
      • 13 evidence of registration
      • 2 improper display