Thomas Breen Photo
Raised crosswalk under construction on Long Wharf in lead-up to weekend races.
Police made eight arrests, towed nine vehicles, and issued 34 summonses and tickets in a crackdown on illegal drag racing.
The crackdown began at sunset Saturday night.
Officers went to spots where crowds of drag racers and pedestrians have amassed on previous weekends, according to police spokesperson Capt. Anthony Duff. They shut down the street when they found people gathering, and “took action” when racing started.
They took those actions near a Sargent Drive gas station on Long Wharf, a stretch of Ella Grasso Boulevard in the Hill, and by Fort Hale Park on the East Shore.
In all they issued 16 misdemeanor summonses and 18 infraction tickets; made eight arrests, including five on drug charges; served an arrest warrant; and hauled away nine vehicles, according to Duff.
No one was injured, reported Assistant Chief Renee Dominguez.
“We are committed to addressing this quality of life issue in a safe manner that fits within our department policies and holds violators accountable. We will increase our enforcement efforts to include use of noise meters, window tint meters, and additional speed enforcement devices,” Chief Otoniel Reyes is quoted as saying in a release Duff issued.
Days earlier, the city placed speed humps on Long Wharf Drive, part of an ongoing effort to respond to public outrage over dangerous and ear-splitting driving on city roads.