Street racing continues to challenge police enforcement efforts in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - With the summer vacation season around halfway finished for most of us, KRDO 13's The Road Warrior is checking on a common problem for police and citizens -- street racing.

We began hearing concern from viewers this spring about the illegal and dangerous practice; they ask how often is it happening and if police having more success enforcing it to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Five people either mentioned racing areas where they live or asked what police are doing to stop the behavior -- naming Academy Boulevard, Union Boulevard, and Hancock Expressway as common locations.

Police said that they're successful only 20% to 30% of the time in catching street racers, partially because those drivers flee from pursuit and officers try to avoid high-speed chases that could put them -- and innocent citizens -- in danger.

It's the drivers who pull over on their own, who are apprehended.

And the drivers aren't just teens or college-age students, either; they include older adults who can better afford fast cars and motorcycles.

"Even giving police license plate numbers and dash cam video as evidence, doesn't seem to be helping police catch these racers," one viewer wrote in an email to The Road Warrior.

Staffing shortages also limit what police can do, but they know that street racing continues to be a problem and insist they're trying to enforce it.

Lt. Jason Reeser, a senior member of the Colorado Springs Police Department's traffic unit, elaborates.

"The protocol for dispatch is if they get a call for service -- for, say, like a street race or dangerous behavior, depending on what those behaviors are and the priority of call -- like, say, every officer was on a call for service within our community at the time, which happens on a very regular basis here, they would air the information immediately. That way, all the officers, even if they're on a call, can hear that information. Or if they're en route to a call and can see those dangerous behaviors, they can interact and make contact with those individuals."

Some of the enforcement and prevention measures police have tried, include: Adding to the kind of charges violators can receive; taking more points off their licenses; increasing fines; and working with the courts to seize racing vehicles from their owners.

Police have even worked with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office to provide racers with safe, sanctioned options such as using the Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Still, Reeser said that the success rate in catching street racers is only between 20% and 30%.

"So far this summer, it's happening around as often as it usually does," he said.

One viewer said that gunfire accompanied racing activity in her neighborhood last year -- adding to fears that racing will result in a crash, injury, or death of a driver or an innocent citizen.

Police are further challenged by the ongoing officer shortage which limits how many of them are on duty to respond to a street racing complaint. and determines how quickly they can arrive at a location.

While it's commonly believed that street racers are high school and college students who eventually outgrow the behavior, police are seeing more older adults who can better afford to acquire high-performance cars and motorcycles.

Reeser said that he understands the public's frustration with street racing.

"I would say, I appreciate their patience," he said. "We are trying to the best of our ability with what we have right now, and we are going to continue, with the new technology that's out there. Like we talked about with the new Avis program and speed cameras and us, as the City Council has authorized our increase in strength, and where our recruiting is going well. We're getting more officers on the street. I feel very strongly that we're going to start curbing based on our traffic strategy, and solving -- I wouldn't say solving, but we're going to start fixing the problem here in Colorado Springs."

The traffic unit has several targeted enforcement operations planned for this month and next month, Reeser said -- but police still ask for the public's help.

If you see street racing, call police at 719-444-7000, to let them know where and when it's happening; you can call 911 if the behavior appears to be especially dangerous.