By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- More than 150 LAPD officers arrested 69 people and impounded 200 vehicles at an illegal street takeover in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood over Labor Day weekend.
- An estimated 700 people gathered to perform burnouts and donuts, blocking a major intersection at Figueroa Street and Alondra Boulevard.
- The operation, dubbed “Operation Street Sweeper,” also resulted in 570 citations and the recovery of seven firearms.
- Officers used strategic planning, intelligence gathering and drone technology to identify four planned takeover locations before converging on the scene around 3 a.m.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and city officials said the operation, conducted with the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, reflects a “zero tolerance” approach to illegal street racing and takeovers.
LOS ANGELES — More than 150 Los Angeles Police Department officers arrested 69 people and impounded 200 vehicles over Labor Day weekend during a crackdown on an illegal street takeover in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood, according to the LAPD.
An estimated 700 people gathered to perform burnouts and donuts, blocking a major intersection at Figueroa Street and Alondra Boulevard. The response was part of “Operation Street Sweeper,” which the department described as a coordinated effort targeting illegal street takeovers. “Through strategic planning, intelligence gathering and drone technology, officers identified four planned takeover locations, culminating at Figueroa Street and Alondra Boulevard,” the LAPD said in a statement.
In addition to the arrests, officers issued 570 citations and recovered seven firearms at the scene. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose district includes Harbor Gateway, said officers surrounded the intersection around 3 a.m. to prevent attendees from fleeing. It was not immediately clear what charges the citations carried. McOsker said children present at the gathering were taken to a nearby police station where their parents could retrieve them.
“This is an area where on many weekends, especially throughout the summer, there were street takeovers, and this being the first night of Labor Day weekend, LAPD was ready,” McOsker said.
Mayor Karen Bass praised the operation in a statement, thanking the LAPD, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for their coordination. “Let me be clear: there is zero tolerance for illegal street racing and street takeovers in Los Angeles,” Bass said. “These are inherently dangerous and put the lives of drivers, spectators, and innocent bystanders at risk. We will continue to prioritize prevention, deterrence, and enforcement to protect Angelenos, businesses, and neighborhoods and ensure those involved face consequences.”