Dallas police are making it known that there will be consequences for individuals caught doing stunts in their cars or racing, an effort that appears to be curbing street takeovers.
In April and August of 2021, the Dallas Police Department responded to two calls of individuals shooting guns into the air from their vehicles. In April, a woman named Lynetta Washington was struck and killed by gunfire during the street takeover, according to the Dallas Observer.
The Observer noted that street racing spiked at the height of the pandemic, with about 2,000 street racers out on any given weekend. A street takeover can include more than just racing; it can consist of doing “donuts,” peeling out, or just creating smoke and revving the engine.
DPD says it has been proactive in establishing a presence in areas known for street takeovers.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to street racing,” DPD spokesperson Brian Martinez told the Observer.
During the first seven months of this year, DPD received 2,661 calls related to street racing. Police made 1,821 street-racing-related traffic stops and have cited more than 100 people, according to data acquired by the Observer.
While street racing has been reduced this year, it continues to be a problem in Dallas. As of July 31, 118 crashes related to street racing have been reported, and police have recovered 75 stolen vehicles and seized 54 guns.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1442 and House Bill 2899 into law earlier in the year in an effort to curb street racing.
House Bill 1442 gives prosecutors more tools to penalize those involved in organized street racing, and House Bill 2899 facilitates the immediate impounding of any vehicle used in street racing.
Auto theft, a related crime, has increased in Dallas over the year. So far, there have been 11,161 auto thefts in 2023, according to police data updated on August 14.
During the same period last year, there were 8,270 auto thefts, equating to a 35% increase in auto thefts over the year.
As Dallas PD works to address crime, it is hindered by a lack of staff. An analysis completed in 2015 determined that a city the size of Dallas needs roughly 4,000 police officers, but DPD currently only employs around 3,100.
The shortage has been especially felt in Downtown Dallas, which has logged considerably more criminal incidents than Fort Worth’s downtown area. The latter is patrolled by a dedicated police unit that works alongside private security guards.