The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously directed multiple county and other agencies to hold a community symposium on street takeovers. Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s motion calls for the participation of the county Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, the District Attorney’s Office, and other organizations in a meeting by Feb. 28, 2024. They would then report back to the board with recommendations to address the issue.
Mitchell envisions the symposium as a forum to gather information and develop a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem. Participants would review past preventive measures to determine their efficacy and identify new steps to be taken.
Street takeovers have become an increasing problem across the Southland, particularly highlighted when the Sixth Street Viaduct opened in July 2022 near downtown Los Angeles, leading to a surge in dangerous stunt driving and vehicle takeovers on the bridge.
During the board meeting, relatives of victims who died as a result of street racing passionately spoke in support of the motion, expressing their desire for it to stop. Mitchell’s motion also proposes secure permanent closed tracks, separate from public streets, for street performance activities in communities most affected by illegal street racing.
Supervisor Janice Hahn also supports this idea, recalling a time when there was a legal racing facility in the harbor area. She suggests a correlation between the absence of a safe space for racing and the prevalence of illegal takeovers at intersections.
In addition to possible infrastructure improvements and examination of land use, the motion recommends considering changes to the existing street racing ordinance. This includes potential penalties and the assessment of penalties against street racing spectators who post on social media. The motion also suggests exploring the possibility of working with social media platforms to remove posts featuring illegal activity.
While the county’s ability to address these issues is limited in unincorporated areas, measures such as speed limit enforcement by the California Highway Patrol and breaking up large gatherings by the sheriff’s department are in place. The Department of Public Works also implements infrastructure solutions.
In September 2022, the county Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission conducted a virtual conference discussing the dangers of illegal street racing and reckless driving. Although the resulting report was not adopted, it highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach beyond punishment to address street takeovers.
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