Craig Munn
In an attempt to crackdown on illegal street racing, Delta Police forged a partnership with the Richmond RCMP, and inspectors from ICBC last Friday.
The joint operation was in response to the escalating amount of street races in certain areas of Delta and Richmond. And the united stance by the two law enforcement agencies is a bid to try and curb the dangerous and illegal sport.
"It surfaces its ugly head every once in a while, but it's not an every day occurrence," said Sgt. Fred Leisz of the Delta Police.
Street racing mostly takes place on weekends and late evenings he added.
Local police officers found about 20 to 30 street racers congregated in Delta during the sting operation.
Concerned about promoting the race location, Leisz would only say they found the thrill-seekers somewhere on Annacis Island.
Police issued a total of 16 tickets to drivers that night for infractions such as speeding and not having vehicles in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act and local by-laws.
In Richmond, the enforcement team observed two vehicles reaching speeds exceeding 240 km.
The need for officials from surrounding areas to join forces with Delta police is due to the fact the racers relocate to different areas several times a night in an attempt to elude police, Leisz explained.
"If they know that police are out patrolling in one particular area, they will go somewhere else and phone all the other racers to inform them where we are," he said.
Leisz added that Delta Police will again be teaming up with other police officials in the near future.