New York Post reporter Rich Calder successfully contested two traffic tickets he received in April, which he argued were "bogus" and based on a misinterpretation of traffic law. The tickets were issued by NYPD officers for allegedly having "illegal" dealership frames on his license plates.
Calder was pulled over on April 12 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, for what officers described as a "random traffic-safety check." After a 20-minute wait, a female officer issued him two summonses, claiming the dealership frames on his 2019 Infiniti obstructed his license plates. Calder argued that standard dealership frames, which do not obscure plate numbers or letters, are not illegal under New York law and are commonly used on vehicles across the city. He noted that many other cars on the block had similar frames.
When Calder questioned the officers, they became dismissive, with one allegedly threatening another ticket if he did not leave. He then drove to the 68th Precinct stationhouse, where the ranking officer on duty acknowledged the tickets likely should not have been written. This officer admitted that the law permits plate covers as long as they do not block the plate's visibility and assured Calder that the officers involved would receive retraining. Despite this, the officer stated he lacked the authority to dismiss the tickets, which carried potential fines and surcharges exceeding $300.
Calder's hearing took place at the state Department of Motor Vehicles office in Coney Island before Associate Administrative Law Judge Perry Bohmstein. The issuing officer, Tiffany Ruiz, testified that Calder's plates were "dirty and covered by plastic." Calder, who had prepared a detailed defense, was surprised when Judge Bohmstein dismissed both tickets immediately without allowing him to present his case. The judge reportedly told Calder, "You don't get to make the speech now!" and warned him to leave before he reconsidered.
Outside the courtroom, Calder confronted Officer Ruiz, asking why she had misrepresented the situation and if she had received retraining. Ruiz declined to comment. The incident, which Calder detailed in a report for the New York Post, raises questions about the issuance of traffic citations and the adherence to traffic laws by law enforcement.