Name: Street racing in Dallas and car takeovers have gotten worse during the pandemic
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Street racing in Dallas and car takeovers have gotten worse during the pandemic

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6:48 PM on Dec 2, 2020 CSTDallas’ obsession with car culture and racing is in overdrive during the pandemic.Since last year, calls related to speed racing and car sideshows, or stunts, in Dallas have nearly doubled, according to police statistics.That’s despite a new law passed earlier this year to crack down on the illegal, impromptu events. Now, spectators can face a fine for attending a street race or takeover.But the problem of cars revving, doing doughnuts in intersections and recklessly speeding down major streets in Dallas has gotten worse.This year, police have responded to 8,441 calls compared to 4,867 in 2019. Police issued 3,888 citations for violations ranging from running a red light or stop sign and about 10,000 for lesser offenses like lack of insurance, registration or a driver’s license.Jesse Reyes, a Dallas Police deputy chief, said the surge in calls stems from multiple events happening in the city on weekends and people calling police more to report them.During a more than two-hour briefing on Wednesday, council members asked what else could be done to deter the illegal driving activities. They also suggested numerous ideas ranging from more laws to make it easier to seize cars used in the events or shifting officers from civilian positions to patrol.Council members asked why people would be interested in such events.Reyes said the short answer is that people attain notoriety when they make the rounds on social media.“They get cheered on,” Reyes said. “Certainly, they see that and repeat that behavior. Personally, I’m not crazy about it, but I think that’s what drives these people.”Street racing is a “quality of life issue” that can result in damaged property and death, Reyes said.In 2019, Olivia Mendez, an , was killed when a racer struck the car she was in. Three men were in connection to the fatal crash.On Christmas Eve in 2019, an off-duty Dallas police officer, Joseph George, died after he lost while racing with another car, according to police. He was a four-year veteran of the department.Dallas police officials said the issue of illegal street races and takeovers are a national problem, leading recently to fatalities around the metroplex. A Fort Worth couple, who had four children, died last when a street racer crashed into them.Dallas police are also juggling an increase in homicides and aggravated assaults, which city officials have pressured police to tamp down on. The city’s murder total stands at 225, surpassing last year’s tally.Cracking down on the events is labor intensive, Reyes said, but the department has offered overtime for officers to work on its speed-racing task force, which focuses on areas with high call volumes.But response times have consistently not been hitting goals for priority two calls, which includes racing. The goal is to respond to such calls in 12 minutes, but in some cases, it has taken as long as 30 minutes, according to some council members.Councilman David Blewett, who represents Uptown and parts of the Central Business District, said during Wednesday’s briefing that he is frustrated by the response times for calls related to speeding and racing.“We are going to have to figure out a way to get into these intersections faster,” Blewett said.Police officials said that sometimes, hundreds of people can gather at such events, requiring more officers to respond to those calls compared with others.Some council members are not pleased that the problem hasn’t decreased, despite the new law.In May, City Council members approved an that allows police to ticket spectators at events. They can face fines of up to $500. Before the ordinance, police could ticket drivers in vehicles for speeding or reckless driving.On Wednesday, police said they had issued 612 citations to spectators. In total, citations related to enforcement activity have reached nearly 15,000 so far in 2020. Dallas police officials said officers have had bottles thrown at them and have suffered minor injuries.The newest ordinance makes it illegal for a “person to knowingly allow street racing and reckless driving exhibition on a premise they own, operate or control.” It’s also illegal to be involved in planning such an event.In some unique circumstances, police can seize cars that are used in speed racing or intersection takeover incidents if certain criteria are met such as having a previous history of reckless driving.Some council members said the problem needs more solutions such as laws to easily seize cars used in the events or going after organizers after they post on social media.Others suggested creating a place where people can safely show off their cars, or adding infrastructure to limit the ability to speed — like roundabouts or speedbumps.Council member Omar Narvaez asked if officers who work civilian jobs in the open records division or auto pound can rotate to patrol to help with enforcement.“Why can’t we utilize these peace officers who are making $88,000 a year?” Narvaez asked.Dallas police officials said they would take feedback from the briefing and discuss with members of the police command staff.They also discussed the possibility of approaching the Legislature about passing laws to help with enforcement. Mayor Eric Johnson said the legislative ad hoc committee would look into the issue.“I think we need to look at a concerted effort in Austin to get some help there,” Johnson said.Stay up-to-date with the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about.By signing up you agree to our

6:48 PM on Dec 2, 2020 CSTDallas’ obsession with car culture and racing is in overdrive during the pandemic.Since last year, calls related to speed racing and car sideshows, or stunts, in Dallas have nearly doubled, according to police statistics.That’s despite a new law passed earlier this year to crack down on the illegal, impromptu events. Now, spectators can face a fine for attending a street race or takeover.But the problem of cars revving, doing doughnuts in intersections and recklessly speeding down major streets in Dallas has gotten worse.This year, police have responded to 8,441...

Street racing in Dallas and car takeovers have gotten worse during the pandemic

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