WHEREAS, traffic enforcement activities have proven to be effective in the detection and apprehension of individuals involved in criminal activities; and all means of initial identification, including retro-reflective validation tabs, are essential; and

WHEREAS, motor vehicles are used in the commission of many serious crimes and the quick discovery of such vehicles can help solve these crimes; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement officers routinely, in the normal discharge of their duties, are called upon to determine the validity of a vehicle's registration; and registration tabs have been proven to be an effective tool for law enforcement officers to verify a vehicle's registration; and

WHEREAS, fully reflective validation tabs displaying month and year attached to the license plate provides law enforcement officers with a recognition system and proof of valid vehicle registration while allowing officers to remain in their patrol vehicles; and

WHEREAS, an effort to repeal the requirement for validation tabs is sometimes made in response to budgetary considerations; and

WHEREAS, if such efforts were successful, they would have a serious and negative effect on the ability of law enforcement officers to effectively identify invalid vehicle registrations and to initiate reasonable suspicion to stop suspicious vehicles; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes that the efficient and reliable identification of vehicles is a critical element of public safety and strongly opposes deleting the requirement for fully retro-reflective validation tabs; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the IACP strongly supports the adoption and incorporation of fully retro-reflective validation tabs indicating the month and year and additionally designed for use on the license plates of all motor vehicles registered and operated on highways and roadways.

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee

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