CHULA VISTA – Chula Vista police launched a new program Monday to fight illegal street racing countywide, with help from District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and nine other law enforcement agencies.
Dubbed “Operation Crackdown,” Chula Vista's plan is being funded with a $600,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The 18-month program began Friday with an operation focused on Chula Vista motorists.
Police wrote 94 citations Friday night, including two for racing; one for speed exhibition; two for suspended driver's licenses; and two for unlicensed drivers. There also were 17 vehicle impounds and eight arrests.
“This grant will help us put the brakes on street racing,” Dumanis said.
The program is modeled after a disbanded San Diego police program called “Drag Net” that helped curb street racing and attracted international attention. The program started in 2002 and was disbanded in 2007 when funding ran out.
Like Drag Net, Chula Vista's program will seek prosecution not only of motorists convicted of street racing, but also of spectators who watch illegal racing events. Dumanis said she is also pushing for legislation to authorize destruction of vehicles used for illegal racing.
The program will also train 200 peace officers countywide to recognize illegally modified cars. Owners would be cited for the changes.
Dumanis said her staff has handled more than 700 street-racing cases during the past five years, with a 96 percent conviction rate.
Helping with the program will be officers from San Diego, the county Sheriff's Department, the California Highway Patrol, National City, Escondido, Oceanside, La Mesa, El Cajon, Coronado and San Diego State University.
Chula Vista police Capt. Don Hunter said a legal alternative to street racing continues to be offered by a private, nonprofit group called RaceLegal, which hosts races in the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot. The next race is scheduled May 8, from 6 p.m. to midnight. More details are available at www.racelegal.com/ In 2002, there were 16 deaths and 31 serious injuries in San Diego from illegal races, police said. During 2006 and half of 2007, San Diego police say only one death was linked to drag racing.

Chula Vista police try to put the brakes on street racing

 

Good, get all the people who break the law off the road. My problem is that they need to start going after all the ***holes who drive raised trucks and act like douches all over the road.

 

Watch all of us get our cars impounded for having a Racing "look' window tint or a Fitfreak.net sticker on out cars

 

$600,000 for what? is that some BS incentive for some cops to actually do what they should be doing?? I agree street racing should stop, but this is just something to pay out over time. please...raise my effing registration to fund stupid shit like this.

IT'S A PART OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION!

 

we have to pay an extra 1% on retail sales tax for crap like this? it was always my understanding that cops should pull people over for street racing, not because the car they drive looks modified

i saw this picture in the other cars forum and thought i'd share

ha!

 

^^ LOLLLLL

My brother was once pulled over and had his car searched for "suspicious activity." He had all this windows down and was at a red light not moving. -_-

 

The road would be safer if they pulled over speeders and extremely slow drivers in general and also stupid drivers who don't know how to change lanes without cutting people off.

It only makes sense that if you're going 25 mph in the freeway and cutting off people going 60 mph, you're going to greatly increase the probability of accidents. Cops don't do anything about it, the road will never be safe from ignorant people!

 

Yeah, it's that whole order versus chaos thing that we all live right on the cusp of.

 

in mira mesa they had like a dui check point but for illegal modified cars i heard.

and the night that fast and the furious came out. after i got out. there was like 15 cops that pulled people over in the parking lot. it sucked. good thing i was in a mini cooper

 

That's probably because a lot of people come out of watching Fast and Furious wanting to drive all "fast and furious" like dumbasses. :/

 

lol, i went to see that movie driving the Montero. MR2 and Fit stayed home that night

 

I haven't seen street racing in a long time. People still do that straight line stuff? No doubt the mountains are packed with wannabe touge drifters though.

 

Hahaha...kids these days...always trying to mimic what they see on MTV, etc... hehehe... Suckers!!!!

 

hey man, i just take life, a 1/4mile atta time