Abbott Announces Street Takeover Task Force

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Less than a week after street racers and citizens in Austin blocked roads, shot fireworks at intersections and at police, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has responded by creating a new statewide "street takeover" task force.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the task force will attempt to "combat the rise in dangerous street takeovers happening across the state" of Texas. The task force will work with state and local officials and law enforcement in order to target the organized crime happening within these street takeovers.

The Governor hit Austin and other cities for defunding of police departments.

“Despite the foolish attempts by some local officials to defund and demoralize our brave law enforcement officers, Texas is and remains a law-and-order state,” Abbott said in a written statement. “We must send a clear message that these reckless, coordinated criminal events will not be tolerated in Texas.”

Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to address the recent events, which his office said have become increasingly violent and more frequent, endangering the public. The events have resulted in injuries to law enforcement, Abbott’s office said.

Texas DPS says street takeovers are dangerous to the community and that officers have been injured while attempting to break up the take overs. Abbott, along with DPS urged citizens to call 911 and report street racing and street take overs.