City Council heard testimony Tuesday about car meet-ups, just over a week after “drifting” drivers and spectators took over intersections and parking lots throughout Philadelphia, inspiring viral videos and drawing national attention.
Clips and photographs – gleaned from social media and distributed by law enforcement – show a man holding up a machine gun-style firearm; groups descending on police cruisers; and dangerous vehicular stunts.
Four suspects, including two people from outside the Philadelphia region, have been arrested in connection with the chaotic series of events. Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore told lawmakers that detectives have identified more than 40 cars involved in the meets, also known as ‘sideshows’ and ‘takeovers.’
“We are going to make a lot more arrests,” he added. “There are vehicles being recovered every day.”
Vanore said police are investigating the event’s organizers. If promoters are making money off the meets, they could face serious charges under the state’s version of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, Act, he said.
The PPD is exploring the use of drones, spike strips and automated plate readers in its response to car takeovers, Deputy Police Commissioner Francis Healy told Council.
Healy said the department’s strategy is to “control and contain” the meets. Police, he continued, have to balance public safety and quality-of-life issues; as a result, officers are instructed to avoid escalating the situation or engaging in high-speed chases.
“It’s not worth killing anybody,” Healy testified. “It’s not worth hurting anybody.”
Police leaders have already met with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Defender’s Association of Philadelphia about drones, Healy said, and the technology is expected to be deployed “in the next month or so.” The devices are currently being tested, according to officials.
Drones would be utilized to track suspects as they flee without chasing them in police cruisers, he added. Spike strips could be laid out around the perimeter of a meet to prevent escape, according to Healy.
Top PPD administrators praised a “nuisance vehicle” ordinance that went into effect last year. The law allows officers to stop vehicles involved in takeovers; temporarily confiscate them as evidence; and fine drivers up to $2,000. Others in the crowd, including spectators, can also be issued a $300 ticket.
Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Cram said that officers began enforcing the policy through code violation notices about two months ago.
It was not immediately clear whether new legislation will emerge out of Tuesday’s committee hearing or in response to the chaotic scenes that occurred over the course of several hours Sept. 21 and 22.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada said she believes authorities need to hold accountable drivers, vehicle owners and business owners who do not properly secure their parking lots.
“Unfortunately, we are going to have to begin with very strict enforcement efforts, and the optics of it are not going to be appealing,” she added. “As a legislative body, we’re going to have to figure out and accept that.”
PPD has a car meet task force that is activated on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays to respond to calls. Most of the time, Cram said, participants quickly disperse when the first police cruiser arrives at the scene.
However, at larger meets, like those that occurred last month, larger coordinated groups, equipped with videographers, try to hold their ground, he explained.
Cram said dirt bike and ATV incidents have declined recently, which police credit to an enhanced seizure initiative.
Tuesday’s hearing served as a brainstorming session, with lawmakers and residents offering recommendations about how to curb takeovers and other dangerous driving behaviors.
Shaun Cerborino, of Fairmount, said larger intersections should be redesigned with traffic circles or islands to deter car meets. Councilmember Nina Ahmad questioned whether hotspot areas could be blocked off on the weekends.
In addition, Center City residents, many of whom live near City Hall or along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, urged Council to do more to combat the racing of motorcycles and loud cars.
“Illegal racing is part of a larger issue of public vehicular safety in our city, and a lack of enforcement only exacerbates it,” testified Dennis Boylan, past president of the Logan Square Neighbors Association.
Members of the public encouraged the city to undertake a coordinated effort to ticket motorcyclists and drivers with altered mufflers. The noise is hard to bear, and the same people often speed and ignore stop signs and red lights, they said.
Harriet Williams claimed the issue is an almost daily problem for her and her neighbors at the Philadelphian, a condominium complex near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
“We’ve been told for 10 years to call 911; ‘It will build a record,’” Williams told Council. “I suspect there are tens of thousands of calls about this. We’re still talking about it. The motorcycles are still speeding.”
