Colorado’s Street Racing Working Group begins 9th year of operations

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Many citizens who have complained about the noise, speeding, and danger associated with illegal street racing may not be aware that a statewide organization is working to put a stop to the crime.

The Street Racing Working Group (SRWG) was formed in 2017 and now has more than 300 members including state troopers, police departments, sheriff's offices, and district attorneys' offices.

The SRWG's website reads as follows: The Colorado Street Racing Working Group was created to address the continued dangers presented by illegal street racing, and that its objective is to disrupt and deter those who seek to illegally race on the roadways in Colorado in order to maintain public safety.

"Multiple agencies began to wrap their heads around the idea that we needed to do something to tackle the issue," said Sgt. Patrick Rice, of the Colorado State Patrol, who recently spoke on behalf of the SRWG but is not a member.

The group's website lists the Colorado Springs Police Department and the Fountain Police Department as its only southern Colorado members, however, a Fountain police spokesperson said that the department is not a member.

Interestingly, the Pueblo Police Department — which has faced its share of street racing challenges — also isn't listed as a member.

"We have noticed that the largest (racing) gatherings tend to be in the Denver metro area, the Colorado Springs area, and up and down the Front Range," Rice said. "That's where the primary focus of the Street Racing Working Group is located. But we do take in intelligence from all over the state and disperse that to the appropriate agencies."

In January, the group released its annual report on its efforts against illegal street racing last year:

• 1,959 citizen complaints received
• 6 targeted enforcement operations
• 360 citations
• 16 arrests
• 31 seizures initiated for street racing vehicles as public nuisances
• 11 vehicles impounded

Most of the citations (130) were for speeding at least 25 miles above the posted limit, while 108 were for other charges related to racing.

During the targeted operations, SRWG members found and seized illegal weapons and stolen vehicles, and arrested suspects on charges of illegal discharge of a firearm, underage consumption of alcohol, illegal drug use, and more.

Rice said that the group also focuses on educating the public and — hopefully — discouraging people from racing illegally and being involved in crashes that result in injury or death.

Last month, Colorado Springs police arrested a man on a charge of vehicular homicide. He was believed to have been involved in an illegal street race and crash at the intersection of Briargate Parkway and Chapel Hills Drive in May 2024.

"There's people who are alive today because they got a ticket from the Street Racing Working Group," Rice said. "Being able to quantify that and show that as a hard statistic is very difficult, because it's what didn't happen as a result of this group being out there. This group is certainly having an impact, and keeping that street racing down as best as we can."

For more information on the SRWG, visit: https://reportstreetracing.com/default.aspx?MenuItemID=220&MenuGroup=Street+Racing+Public.