In May, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas implemented a pretty major shift in how officers handle traffic enforcement. The new policy forbids officers from pulling drivers over just for minor infractions. Examples include expired license plates or cracked windshields. Instead, they must flag an additional reason, like dangerous driving, before pulling any motorist over. The change has had far-reaching effects on policing, community relations, and even city finances.

In turn, traffic stops in Denver dropped dramatically – nearly 50% – since the policy activated. From more than 18,300 stops in the four months prior to May, the number plunged to 9,600 in the four months after. By October, monthly stops were down 59% compared to January, says the Denver Post.

On top of the steep drop in count, the reasons for stops also shifted. Officers now focus more on safety-related violations like speeding and reckless driving. Equipment issues such as broken taillights account for a much smaller percentage of stops.

The number of traffic stops for right-of-way violations, red light violations, motor vehicle theft, suspected drug offenses and lane use all went down.

Chief Thomas views the policy as a way to prioritize meaningful policing. “Certainly, increasing driver safety matters,” he said. “Doing things that have true impacts on crime matter. Our trust patrols matter, our Hot Streets patrols matter, but I’ve never seen any data to suggest that making random traffic stops for minor violations has any impact on community safety or traffic safety.” Instead, the department aims to direct resources toward impactful enforcement, such as addressing crime trends or dangerous driving behaviors.

Critics, including Denver’s police union, initially argued that the policy would leave offenders unchecked and potentially increase crime. Yet, six months in, violent crime rates in Denver declined. Early data suggests crash fatalities may also be lower this year than last. However, the number of car crashes rose by about 10% since the policy kicked off. Still, safety advocates attribute this not to reduced enforcement but to systemic issues like poor street design, emphasizing the need for long-term infrastructure improvements. Traffic cameras might do a better job than “sporadically” enforced police presence, one pedestrian advocate said.

Some argue that one clear downside is the policy’s financial impact. Denver’s revenue from traffic tickets, particularly for expired license plates, decreased. The city collected $4.6 million in fines from January to November 2023, compared to $5.3 million during the same period in 2022. The collections reduction highlights a larger conversation about the “fairness” of ticketing low-income drivers for minor infractions. Like with the argument for more even patrolling, traffic cameras could also bridge the financial gap some.

Community reactions have been mixed. Some residents, particularly in central Denver, expressed concerns about reduced enforcement. Others seem to appreciate the lighter burden on drivers dealing with economic hardship. Critics argue that if minor infractions aren’t worth enforcing, they shouldn’t “remain on the books”…a debate that mirrors broader discussions about over-policing. The argument stems from Denver’s decriminalization of jaywalking in 2023. Before the move, 41% of folks cited for jaywalking were Black.

Overall, the point of the new traffic stop policy is to prevent police officers from using their patrol time on minor infractions. The initiative also inherently stops Denver officers from “hunting” for more serious crimes during petty pullovers. In other words, some officers might have been pulling certain motorists over based on profiling and unconscious bias rather than a “reasonable” suspicion a serious crime is occurring. If the financial change has city officials in a tizzy, I suspect they’ll be working to mind that gap, too.