DENVER Denver's police chief said the department has changed the enforcement efforts surrounding how officers respond to street racing and takeover events.The change comes after a string of incidents this year have drawn public frustration when officers arrived to find the scene already cleared."We kind of bolstered our previously existing response to street racing and street takeovers," said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas.Chief Thomas said the changes were made after a large street takeover at Broadway and Mississippi Avenue at the end of July. The department is now bringing in officers from different districts to help respond, in addition to the dedicated Street Racing Enforcement Team."We also worked with Denver 911 to change the priority," Thomas said. "Previously, if you were to call in about seeing some activity like that drag racing or a street takeover that would have been categorized and coded by the call taker as like a reckless driver, which would have been given a low priority."Dispatchers are now also tasked with airing information about the incident over police radios to try to shorten response times, rather than waiting for it to come up in a queue. DPD says that means information about a street racing or speed exhibition incident is aired over the radio as soon as a report comes in, so any officer, supervisor, or proactive patrol team who's available can respond immediately instead of waiting for the call to be formally dispatched.The department is also using existing proactive patrol teams from Denver's districts to respond to street racing incidents on nights the Street Racing Enforcement Team isn't working.So far, DPD says the adjustments are showing some success."We've seen a marked increase in the number of arrests and the number of vehicles towed and things like that," Thomas said.The department says a Street Racing Enforcement Team operation this past Sunday night led to seven arrests, five impounded vehicles, three citations, and one recovered illegal firearm. DPD says the operation was connected to the incident at 10th and Broadway, and that some of the vehicles involved in that incident were among those impounded."These are dynamic events that require a great deal of coordination and follow-up investigations," DPD said in a statement.Since Jan. 1, 2026, Denver police have impounded 71 vehicles, issued 322 citations, made 92 arrests, and recovered five firearms in street racing enforcement operations, according to the department.But the change is having other impacts, too.Denver7 asked Chief Thomas directly whether increasing enforcement efforts toward street racing and takeovers takes resources from elsewhere."It does, sadly. It does," Thomas said.Stacey Hervey, an affiliate professor in the Criminal Justice Program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, says that's her biggest concern."It's taking away resources that Denver could utilize in other ways," Hervey said.When it comes to giving citations and making arrests on the spot, Thomas says there's a reason why that often doesn't happen."There could be 40, 50, sometimes up to upwards of 100 people who are engaging in this, shooting guns, and I just don't think it would be safe," Thomas said.He said traffic cameras, along with bystander and social media videos, help the department make arrests after the fact, even when officers can't safely intervene during the event itself.DPD is encouraging anyone with video of these takeovers to contact the department by calling 720-913-STOP (7867). The department also asks the community to report any active or planned events by visiting reportstreetracing.com, or by calling 911 in an emergency. ...read more read less