State Reps. Terry Johnson, a Republican from McDermott, and Stephen Slesnick, a Democrat from Canton, have sponsored legislation to require vehicle owners only need to display one Ohio license plate on the rear bumper of their vehicles.
But law enforcement officials from some cities across the state and public safety advocates have balked at the idea, saying it limits the tools they can utilize to deter crime.
This week, officials from several law enforcement agencies testified before the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. They said front plates make it easier for citizens to report people involved in crimes, allow police to locate vehicles in crime or traffic investigations and help to identify motorists.
The bill could save the state more than $1 million annually, Slesnick said. That’s in addition to savings for car owners with vehicles not built to have front license plates. They face additional costs to have brackets for the plates put on the fronts of their cars.
“This has nothing to do with deterring crime,” Slesnick said. “What is going on in states that don’t require front license plates?”
The five states that surround Ohio: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Michigan only require one license plate.
In 2012, there were about 10.5 million sets of license plates in the state, said Dustyn Fox, of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Last year, a little less than 2 million sets of plates were produced for drivers who replaced sets or purchased new vehicles.
The law would save motorists $1.25, Fox said. Overall, though, the state would save about $1.4 million a year.
But some law enforcement officials believe dual plates help in crime investigations.
Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath said having two plates helps police and witnesses identify vehicles involved in crimes. He would prefer the law remain as it is.
“It definitely gives us an edge in identifying vehicles in the city,” McGrath said.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said dual plates help law enforcement when responding to the scene of an emergency, investigating hit-skip accidents or thefts at gas pumps.
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