Governor Healey, Colonel Noble Announce Results of Recent Enforcement Efforts to Deter Illegal Street Takeovers
Two recent operations with state and local police resulted in arrests and seizures across Eastern Massachusetts
Administration awards $14 million in traffic safety grant awards to 200+ local police departments
BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble announced that, following a directive from the Governor, statewide operations to prevent illegal street takeovers are having their intended impact.
On Saturday, October 11, the State Police organized an operation to conduct strategic enforcement across Eastern and Southeastern Massachusetts. Troopers working in teams across the region achieved significant results with the support of intelligence and the Air Wing, including: 232 civil citations, 74 warnings, 20 criminal summons, 7 arrests, 15 tows, 2 seizures under the Controlled Substances Act, 1 stolen car recovery. Most importantly, there were no street takeovers in Massachusetts over the weekend.
Additionally, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is today awarding $14 million in safety grants to cities and towns to support traffic enforcement and stop illegal activity. Recipients of this funding include more than 200 local police departments and 10 state agencies.
“These illegal street takeovers cause public disorder, damage property, and pose a significant threat to the safety of both area residents and police officers. That’s why I declared a zero-tolerance policy and directed State Police to dedicate any necessary resources to support local police with deterring and responding to them,” said Governor Healey. “Thanks to the strong collaboration between state and local law enforcement, we saw none of the street takeovers like the ones that have been disrupting communities in recent weeks. We’re going to continue to do everything we can to prevent this illegal activity and protect public safety, including by delivering funding directly to local police to enhance roadway safety. I’m grateful for the leadership of Colonel Noble and the brave men and women in law enforcement for everything they are doing to keep our communities safe.”
“I commend the Massachusetts State Police and local partners for their continued collaboration to keep communities safe and ensure safe roadways,” said Interim Public Safety and Security Secretary Susan W. Terrey. “This targeted grant funding strengthens that work in hundreds of communities statewide and is essential to advancing the training, technology and outreach that deliver real results.”
“The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to addressing street takeovers with sustained community engagement, visible deterrents, and lawful enforcement focused on organizers,” said Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “While we never underestimate the enormous complexity of these challenges, we remain confident in our ability as state and local partners to develop solutions guided by the vision of the Healey-Driscoll Administration. The alignment between law enforcement and our community service partners is unmistakable, and it gives me great confidence in our ability to build safer communities.”
The State Police’s coordinated field, investigative and homeland security resources use intelligence from the Commonwealth Fusion Center. The team identified potential hotspots, located potential meet ups in real time, and applied targeted enforcement through deployed saturation patrols to deter and disrupt illegal street activity. This proactive approach advances the State Police’s Excellence Initiative goal to promote safer communities through crime prevention and violence reduction.
The October 12 operation follows successful prior action in Brockton. On September 24, Governor Healey convened local and state law enforcement in Brockton to learn about the issue and strengthen our partnerships. Soon after, State Police received a request for assistance from Brockton Police to develop a plan to augment enforcement and strengthen quality of life in the city. Working together, Troopers and Officers deployed fully marked, low profile and unmarked vehicles for patrol as well as the State Police Air Wing. On Thursday, October 2, the coordinated patrols resulted in more than 200 motor vehicle stops and 33 tows, including 5 illegal scooters and off-road vehicles. Within the larger effort, State Police Investigators also arrested an individual on cocaine and fentanyl trafficking charges.
What residents need to know about street takeovers:
These events may be illegal. Participating in, organizing, promoting, or spectating in the roadway may violate state laws and local ordinances.
Real consequences apply. Troopers and local officers may impound vehicles on scene. Violations can lead to fines, license consequences, criminal charges, and, when violence occurs, felony charges.
Do not attend or share these illegal activities. Do not drive toward takeover locations and do not repost invitations or videos that promote these illegal activities.
Report planning or activity. If you see posts promoting a takeover or observe a gathering forming, report to State or Local Police and call 911 if it is an emergency.
Choose legal alternatives. Car culture belongs at permitted, supervised venues and track nights, not in active roadways.
“Our office is committed to supporting the Massachusetts State Police and our local police departments in their tireless efforts to maintain public safety in our communities,” said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz. “Street takeover events have escalated to become more than just public nuisances, but incidents with the potential for violence to break out. PCDAO will do our part in these suppression efforts by aggressively prosecuting offenders that break the law, and affect the quality of life of everyone.”
“Coordinated street takeovers like we’ve recently seen require coordinated law enforcement responses because public safety across jurisdictions comes under direct threat. We’re glad to work together to hold all offenders accountable,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
“We're grateful for the strong partnership with the Massachusetts State Police and all of our law enforcement allies who joined us in these coordinated enforcement efforts,” said Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez. “These joint operations bring more visibility to our neighborhoods and help us address traffic and safety concerns. By collaborating with our partners, we’re able to focus on high-impact areas through targeted patrols, traffic enforcement, and quality-of-life initiatives.”
“Street takeovers pose a significant danger to the public and threaten the quality of life in our community,” said Fall River Police Chief Kelly Furtado. “Through enhanced intelligence sharing, regional collaboration, and proactive enforcement, we are identifying those who organize and participate in these unlawful events. Their fluid, organized nature demands a multi-agency approach, and together, we remain committed to ensuring public safety and holding offenders accountable. We appreciate the quick response and continued support from the Governor and her team in helping to address this statewide issue. From major cities to small rural towns, every community deserves the right to live in peace and safety."
The $14 million in traffic safety grants that the administration is awarding today come from funding awarded to Massachusetts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These grants are managed and administered in Massachusetts by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR).
Grant awards include:
$6.2 million through the Municipal Road Safety Grant Program for 210 local police departments.
$7.1 million through the State Agency Traffic Safety Grant Program for nine state agencies.
$613,900 through the State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements Program to strengthen crash data collection and reporting.
In addition, the Office of Grants and Research (OGR)’s Child Passenger Safety Education and Assistance Program provided 78 organizations with 3,440 car seats with a combined value of more than $322,000, which the organizations will distribute to families in need.
A full list of awardees can be found here.
Anyone with information about suspicious or illegal activity should report it to State or Local Police. You can share information with the Commonwealth Fusion Center by emailing fusion@pol.State.MA.US or calling 508-820-2233. Anyone found organizing takeovers, obstructing roads, or conducting illegal activity in Massachusetts will face criminal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
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