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DMV seeks two sworn investigators citing rise in vehicle fraud and safety concerns at administrative hearings
Summary
The DMV’s Compliance Enforcement Division asked the Legislature for two additional sworn investigators, citing an increase in stolen‑vehicle and complex fraud cases and growing safety concerns for judges and staff at the Sahara DMV hearings office.
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles’ Compliance Enforcement Division (CED) asked a joint legislative committee for two additional sworn investigator positions to address increasing stolen‑vehicle investigations, complex fraud cases and safety concerns tied to the DMV’s Office of Administrative Hearings.
CED administrator JD Decker told the joint Ways and Means and Senate Finance committee that the division has seen a roughly 23 percent increase in stolen‑vehicle reports since fiscal year 2021 and a 63 percent increase in personnel hours devoted to investigations over the same baseline. Decker said a recent multi‑agency raid on an illegal salvage operation required 15 officers and large‑scale processing of seized vehicles.
Why it matters: CED enforces licensing and fraud statutes, conducts criminal investigations tied to stolen vehicles and title fraud, and provides security for the DMV’s administrative hearings. Investigations and hearings can directly affect individuals’ ability to drive or to hold occupational licenses.
Hearing security concerns Chief Administrative Law Judge Jonathan Lord described repeated incidents that raised safety concerns for judges and hearings staff at the Sahara DMV. Lord said the hearings office layout allows visitors unrestricted access to employee‑only areas and that hearings often take place around a conference table within arm’s reach of the judge. Incidents include a physical assault of an employee, parties taking photos of personal items in judges’ offices, a reported suspected concealed firearm, and repeated confrontations and intimidation attempts by agitated parties.
Judge Lord recommended a proactive approach to safety. CED said one of the two requested sworn investigators would primarily focus on motor vehicle fraud and criminal activity while the other would be available to augment security for administrative hearings; CED indicated hearings are covered by a rotation policy so assignments to court duties would not permanently remove investigators from field investigations.
Legislative questions and coordination Lawmakers asked whether the new positions would reduce the backlog; Decker said two additional investigators would allow the division to assign aged cases and spread workload so field investigations and hearings security are both supported. Decker also confirmed the division coordinates closely with local law enforcement and task forces such as Metro Viper on stolen vehicle investigations.
Provenance: Testimony by JD Decker and Chief Administrative Law Judge Jonathan Lord before the joint committee; Q&A with Assemblymembers Hibbetts, Dickman and Mosca.
