Law enforcement’s inability to address Cleveland’s dangerous street takeovers fuels public safety concerns: Leslie Kouba

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Last weekend, seven sideshows took place in Greater Cleveland and we're not talking about the circus. These were events where people (older teens and younger adults, generally) took over public roadways for stunt driving and car tricks. Spectators gather. Phones film TikTok videos. Tires trace circles on the pavement.

It is completely illegal and dangerous. But it's nothing new.

Back in the 30s, revved up Fords raced across dry lake beds in California. This became the sanctioned sport of drag racing. In the 50s, souped up cars raced on public streets because the thrill of breaking the law became part of the subculture. In the 70s, those who partied gathered to drink and dance in the headlights of cool cars at highway rest stops and in open fields.

Oh, come on. You know they did. Or should I say, we did.

The street takeovers we're seeing today began in California in the 80s, but it's likely the Fast & Furious franchise fed them.

Law enforcement has tried to squelch the squeal of donut-making tires for decades.

California has tried really hard. In 2021, the California Highway Patrol responded to more than 7,300 sideshows involving more than 120,000 participants across the state. And they've thrown money at the problem. About $7.5 million via grants and state budgeting, to be exact, but it still continues.

Even though Ohio's 2024-2025 budget includes almost $41 million to fund 27 traffic safety projects across the state, none focuses on reducing sideshows or even street racing, which I can hear at night through my windows.

On Oct. 24, 2024, HB 56 will go into effect. It adds street racing and stunt driving to the illegal list and increases penalties for such things. The bill also says "Those who knowingly participate in such street takeovers outside of a vehicle by standing in roadways will now also face the same penalties as those who are inside of vehicles during such a disruption."

You have been warned. Don't stop to take pictures if you come across a sideshow.

In some states, police use drones to monitor and speed up response to sideshows, but not here.

The city of Cleveland bought a two-drone set and program for $255,000 in 2022. The drones sit all dusty in storage because of the red tape of unestablished policy. Evidently, drone use by law enforcement agencies is a tricky business because of privacy laws and search warrant requirements. You would think city leadership would know to write policy before purchasing, but no.

The police department is working with agencies across the country to develop proper regulations. Whatever policy is written must be approved first by the Community Police Commission and then by the federal Justice Department. That'll take a while.

Honestly, I'm not sure if law enforcement efforts, even large scale collaborative ones, can truly stop what's taking place.

The organizers and participants are not stupid. They use private social media (and, I suspect, coded language) to communicate dates, times and locations. Each planned gathering has contingency plans, so if the first site has police presence or has been protected by traffic control measures like stop sticks (tire deflators), the group moves on to the Plan B location and so on.

The exhibitions occur at night and at notable locations. License plates are removed, so remote license plate readers are useless. Most of the people involved wear dark clothing and face coverings. Security camera footage is blurry and chaotic. Most mitigation tools can't be used because the general public travels the same streets, highways and intersections during the same hours.

I imagine the young people involved have a way of knowing when police are approaching and can scatter like leaves in the wind. With 100 to 200 people and a hundred cars involved, tack strips laid across escape routes can stop only a fraction.

If any of the participants or organizers of those seven sideshows that one Saturday night caught sight or sound of our city council members clamoring and our police chief squirming in the subsequent press conferences and meetings this past week, I bet they felt warm and fuzzy all over.

Yes, street takeovers are dangerous. Spinning cars run over spectators. People ghost driving or hanging onto moving vehicles get injured. However, the worst threat is everyone has a gun. There are guns in the cars and guns in the homes and businesses near the sideshows.

I heard city council members say if the police don't take care of it, city residents will. Hell no! There would be blood shed on both sides, and the sideshows would continue. Don't even think about it, people. In spite of the noise, at least these aren't gang wars raging outside our bedroom windows.

Law enforcement must work to reduce harm to participants, spectators and responding officers. Confiscating cars at events will be a deterrent. Reviewing data and identifying hotspots to monitor may prevent some gatherings. Once a melee begins, stationing officers at a safe distance but not engaging would allow them to be close enough for emergencies but out of harm's way.

You know – if the sideshows become more socially accepted, those involved will lose the thrill and become bored. For now breaking the law in the middle of the night with your friends is a high like no other and being the star of a TikTok car stunt channel is profitable.

In the meantime, I hope everyone can just calm down. Stop feeding the adrenaline machine and keep the guns and frustration private. It'll be winter soon enough, and we'll all be doing donuts before you know it.