CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT

City of Anaheim POLICE DEPARTMENT

DATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2021 FROM: POLICE DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: ORDINANCE PROHIBITING PARTICIPATING IN, OR BEING A SPECTATOR AT, A RACE OR RECKLESS EXHIBITION (SECOND READING)

ATTACHMENT: YES ITEM # 11

RECOMMENDATION:

That the City Council, by Motion, adopt an Ordinance i) adding Chapter 14.70 to the Anaheim Municipal Code prohibiting participating in or being a spectator at a street race or exhibition; and ii) repealing Anaheim Municipal Code sections 14.32.084 and 14.32.183 and relocating them as modified in Chapter 14.70.

DISCUSSION:

Street racing events have increased exponentially throughout the County over the past several years as law enforcement agencies attempt to adapt and overcome a new era of this activity. Whereas traditional street races were generally off-site and away from the public view, a new generation of these events occur regularly on city and highways, as well as on industrial, commercial, and private property.

The Anaheim Police Department receives numerous calls for service and Anaheim Anytime complaints regarding and exhibition of activities every week. These events create potential hazards to the health and safety of the public, interfere with pedestrian and vehicular within the City, and disturb the peace of those in residential neighborhoods as participants drive modified vehicles with loud exhausts.

Drivers and spectators work together through social media to organize and plan intersection takeovers, meets, and racing events. Hundreds of individuals often gather for these events, frequently blocking the streets and while encouraging this dangerous and unlawful activity, all while obstructing police officers from enforcing the law. These incidents cause , destroy private and public property, and pose a significant danger to the community. As the number of street racing related calls for service trends upward, the requisite number of officers dispatched to manage these incidents has also increased. P.O. Box 3369 Anaheim, CA 92803- The Vehicle Code prohibits street racing on public highways and bans 3369 www.anaheim.net reckless driving exhibitions on public highways or in public or private lots. In Ordinance Prohibiting Participating in, or Being a Spectator at, a Street Race or Reckless Driving Exhibition (Second Reading) February 9, 2021 Page 2 of 2 addition, Anaheim Municipal Code sections 14.32.084 and 14.32.183 prohibit street racing in private parking lots (if signed to ban street racing) and public parking lots, respectively. Proposed Chapter 14.70 would relocate the existing Code sections, with modifications, but would additionally outlaw spectating at street racing, exhibition of speed, and reckless driving exhibitions. Spectators have become critical to the furtherance of these illegal activities and impede police officers attempting to enforce the law. As a result, a number of law enforcement agencies have adopted ordinances banning spectating at street racing events. These agencies have reported such ordinances to provide an effective tool to combat dangerous activities and limit spectator involvement at street racing, exhibition of speed, and reckless driving exhibitions.

The attached Ordinance was introduced at the January 26, 2021 City Council meeting. The Ordinance requires a second reading, and if adopted tonight, the Ordinance will be effective on March 11, 2021.

IMPACT ON BUDGET:

Adoption of the Ordinance will have no budgetary impact. Enforcement of the Ordinance will be absorbed in the current General Fund budgets of the Police Department and City Attorney’s Office.

Respectfully submitted,

Jorge Cisneros Chief of Police

Attachment: 1. Proposed Ordinance adding Anaheim Municipal Code Chapter 14.70