Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Dmv Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DMV enforcement unit reports more than 10,000 commercial inspections and expanded work‑zone enforcement
Summary
The DMV’s enforcement director told the Senate Transportation Committee his unit set a goal of 5,432 commercial vehicle inspections and completed 10,219; staff also described work‑zone enforcement, a K9 program expansion and an identity‑theft investigation.
Wade Cochran, Director of Enforcement and Safety at the Department of Motor Vehicles, told the Senate Transportation Committee that his investigators and uniform teams greatly exceeded an internal inspection goal this year.
Cochran said the enforcement unit had set a goal of 5,432 commercial motor vehicle inspections but completed 10,219 inspections. He added that 331 of those were hazardous‑material checks and 184 were bus inspections. “Their goal was 5,432... but they actually inspected 10,219,” Cochran said.
Cochran also reviewed a recent identity‑theft and fraud case and said he brought a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release to circulate as an example of the investigations team’s work. He described a Burlington‑area operation based on an accountability‑court list of about 30 high‑priority individuals; investigators performed background work and made one high‑priority arrest though many subjects were transient or relocated.
On enforcement programs, Cochran discussed a K9 program he said he wants to expand so each sector has a canine. He named Sergeant Haley and K9 Annie (retiring) and Inspector Nick Hendry with K9 Lucy, noting Lucy “is actually a firearms canine who can detect gunpowder residue.” Committee members asked about canine service life (estimated eight to nine years) and training plans; Cochran said new handlers and dogs will be onboarded in April and May.
Cochran described a work‑zone enforcement pilot run with AOT‑identified work zones: enforcement teams worked a minimum of two hours in morning and afternoon commuter periods over about two months and wrote tickets or warnings for traffic infractions. The department said the pilot was successful and will continue in the current year.
Committee members also raised concerns about fraudulent driver‑privilege cards and credential security. Cochran said DMV routinely compares foreign samples to state credentials, re‑examines security features periodically, and has implemented fraudulent‑document training through NAMA for front‑line staff on a biennial schedule.
