Alaska to review number plate screening system after issuing ‘3REICH’ registration

Alaska plans to review its screening systems after issuing personalised number plates including “FUHRER” AND “3REICH”.

Both plates were said to have been owned by the same person at different times and have been recalled following complaints, the US state’s Department of Administration said.

A report said the “FUHRER” plate was issued over a decade ago and the department’s Division of Motor Vehicles had little information on how requests for personalised plates were processed at the time.

An application for the “3REICH” plate was made in October 2020 – however it was not flagged because it was not on a list of more than 11,000 “vulgar, violent, criminal and demeaning terms” used by an electronic system to screen plate requests.

The Nazi regime in Germany often was referred to as the Third Reich. Its leader, Adolf Hitler, was known as the Fuhrer.

The plate was issued in November and recalled on 21 January after a “report of concern” was received, according to the report, which was written by department Deputy Commissioner Paula Vrana.

Kelly Tshibaka, the commissioner of the Department of Administration, said “3REICH”, “FUHRER” and variations of those terms were being added to the electronic screening list, adding the list would be reviewed and updated.