It's a game of chance. Some are ticketed while some are not.
However, if you park your car in public parking lots in Los Angeles Airport, your chance of being ticketed for lack of front license tag is increased multiple folds... like 100%!
Pretty much this. It's pretty much a game of chance.
I've been pulled over a couple of times for no front plate (and window tint), but it was by a local PD like LASD and LAPD.... and they don't usually enforce traffic violations (unlike CHP in CA). It was probably more of a fishing expedition for them to see if they might catch anything else on their stop, probably because they were bored or pissed off or whatever. When I've been pulled over by CHP, they didn't care about my window tint but did tell me to put my front plate back on, but never threatened me with a ticket for it. CHP is more worried about driving & HOV violations around here.
I have received a few 'no front plate' tickets when I had my car parked the LAX airport's terminal parking garage, and also at the Metrolink train station before. Each time I pulled into the spot so the front bumper was against the wall, or face to face with another car parked directly across from me. The meter-maids there must've been walking around and really looking for cars to ticket.