Would eliminating front license plate have affected shooting case?

COLUMBUS – If Ohio did not require a front license plate, Samuel Dubose never would have been stopped for missing one.

Dubose, who was unarmed, was shot and killed Sunday by University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing following a struggle between the two men, officials reported, adding that Dubose was stopped initially for driving without a front license plate near campus.

Some Ohio lawmakers wanted to eliminate front license plates, a move that would save an estimated $1.4 million used to produce and distribute them. Nineteen states do not require a front license plate, including neighbors Kentucky, Indiana Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Proposed legislation, introduced in April, would require Ohio drivers to display only one license plate on the back of vehicles. Drivers would pay $1 less in fees to replace or exchange license plates. Supporters say eliminating a license plate would save money and reduce minor traffic stops, which research shows can be used in racial profiling.

Rep. Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Township, supports the bill because it would save money, especially for classic car owners. He did not want to comment on the pending shooting investigation, but he said the missing license plate didn’t help in that situation.

This isn’t the first time lawmakers tried to reduce the number of license plates, but police officers oppose the move. They say it would limit investigations into road rage, retail theft and drunken driving.

“By eliminating front license plate, you basically cut in half the ability to identify a car involved in a crash,” said Michael Wineman, director of government affairs for the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio.

Witnesses also use license plates to report crimes, Wineman said, and missing license plates allow police to approach suspicious vehicles. He said eliminating the front license plate would not have helped in the shooting this week.

“Here you have a violent criminal without a front license plate. Because of that front license plate, we were able to approach him,” Wineman said.

Dubose has been charged more than 75 times in Hamilton County. Most of the charges were nonviolent: driving without a license, joyriding, having windows tinted too dark, misdemeanor drug possession.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley has called for changes within the University of Cincinnati police Wednesday, saying a traffic stop for a license plate should not lead to use of lethal force.

Blessing doubts the proposal to reduce license plates will move forward without law enforcement support.

Reporter Jason Williams contributed to this article.

jbalmert@gannett.com

Twitter: @jbalmert