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Q&A
Ghost car enforcement and identification
1:48:55
·
72 sec
Council Member Salaam inquires about NYPD's methods for identifying fraudulent temporary plates and enforcing laws against ghost cars. Chief of Transportation Olufunmilola 'Lola' Obe responds:
- Officers are well-trained to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent temporary plates
- NYPD conducts multi-agency ghost car operations citywide
- In 2024, 61 initiatives resulted in 740 arrests, 34,000+ summonses, and 3,450 vehicles seized
- In 2025 (year to date), 17 initiatives have led to 267 arrests, 9,144 summonses, and 940 vehicles seized
These operations have recovered millions of dollars in unpaid tolls and tax warrants, demonstrating the scale of the ghost car problem and NYPD's efforts to combat it.
Yusef Salaam
1:48:55
I'm gonna go down to ghost cars and ghost car enforcement.
1:49:00
How are officers trained to distinguish between a legitimate temporary plate and a fraudulent one during a traffic stop or while conducting parking enforcement?
Olufunmilola "Lola" Obe
1:49:14
So our officers are well trained in making the distinction between the place that you mentioned, and this goes as far back as when we first started to see the proliferation of of ghost vehicles.
1:49:28
I will say that the work continues and I just want to highlight the multi agency ghost car operations that we have citywide.
1:49:36
So in 2024, there were 61 initiatives conducted in various bridges and tunnels citywide resulting in 740 arrests, 34,000 plus summonses issued, three thousand four fifty vehicles, and upwards of $48,000,000 in tolls and tax warrants.
1:49:52
This year, year to date 2025, we've had 17 initiatives so far resulting in two sixty seven arrests, ninety one forty four summonses, 940 vehicles seized, and 5 plus million dollars in tolls and tax runs including administrative fees.