Weekend Oakland Sideshow Enforcement Leads to 8 Arrests, 2 Dozen Towed Vehicles
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Police in Oakland on Monday confirmed that officers arrested eight people, issued 14 citations and towed two dozen vehicles in connection with two sideshows over the weekend.
The police department announced the sideshow enforcement on social media Monday afternoon.
The illegal sideshow activity started on Saturday night, according to the Oakland Police Department, with law enforcement seeing close to 200 vehicles traveling in and out of Oakland and other nearby cities over the course of six hours.
Police said the groups of vehicles were attempting to take over intersections in Oakland to engage in illegal activity. Officers dedicated to sideshow enforcement monitored the activity on the ground and in the air with the department's ARGUS helicopter. They were able to successfully deter and disrupt the sideshow activity, towing one vehicle.
On Sunday night, the sideshows resumed and continued for nearly eight hours. Police received reports of illegal activity in the area of 98th and Edes Avenues. Officers in ARGUS flew over the scene and spotted approximately 300 people watching 100 vehicles take part in the illegal activity.
Ground units responded to the area and were able to disrupt the activity. A total of eight people were arrested and 22 vehicles and one ATV were towed from the area. Additionally 14 citations were handed out by officers.
"I appreciate our City Councilmembers for supporting and restoring funds for a dedicated sideshow detail. Without these additional resources, our city would've experienced significantly more destructive sideshow activity," Oakland Police Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong said in a press release regarding the arrests. "These sideshow events are known to take over intersections and neighborhoods causing significant safety concerns in our community. It will take a combined effort of law enforcement and the community to address these dangerous sideshow events. Let's continue to work together towards making Oakland a city free of sideshows."
The department announced a detail dedicated to sideshow enforcement just late last month.
Police said OPD is following up on identifying additional vehicles that participated in the illegal activity over the weekend. Once identified, investigators will go to the homes where the vehicles are registered and tow those vehicles.
The department is partnering with community groups, regional law enforcement agencies, and other city departments for a long-term solution to address illegal sideshows and violent crimes in Oakland. Anyone with information about illegal sideshow activity can send OPD a tip at the department's non-emergency email, sideshowtips@oaklandca.gov.
