Report 2016-121 Recommendation 13 Responses

Report 2016-121: Department of Motor Vehicles: Administrative and Statutory Changes Will Improve Its Ability to Detect and Deter Misuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards (Release Date: April 2017)

Recommendation #13 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To help ensure that DMV's sting operations are an effective deterrent to placard misuse, beginning immediately DMV should regularly publicize the results of all of its sting operations through local and statewide media, on its website, and in materials distributed to the public at its field offices.

6-Month Agency Response

Procedures were established and have been implemented for the Investigations Division to report the outcome of operations to the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) for publishing. Since April 2017, the department has issued 21 press releases related to Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operations.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DMV began publishing operation results through local and statewide media and posting on the Department's website, Facebook and Twitter. DMV Investigations Division established a procedure with the DMV Office of Public Affairs (OPA) to distribute news releases after each Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operation to local media, and to send a monthly news release to statewide media. The DMV website is also updated with all the news releases on the enforcement operations. In April 2017, several large-scale operations were conducted in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Coachella and Fresno. Investigators made 2,326 contacts, resulting in 417 citations issued. During these operations, 25 media outlets shadowed DMV Investigators. The DMV OPA is also using the field office video message boards to publicize the results of statewide and local Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operations. A 30-second video has been developed highlighting the results of the previous month's operations and is shown on the monitors once each hour. Procedures to continue publishing the results through the OPA are being prepared.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

The DMV has publicized several sting operations related to placards for people with disabilities. As noted above, DMV received mentions in various media throughout the state and included news releases on its website related to its placard operations. DMV notes in its response that it is continuing to develop procedures. However, its actions thus far show progress toward full implementation of the recommendation.

All Recommendations in 2016-121

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.