Despite recent high-profile incidents, drag racing is on the decline in Baton Rouge, a trend police credit to ordinance amendments that toughened penalties for stunt drivers and spectators alike.
Higher fines, the ability to impound vehicles, a new intelligence-sharing agreement between parish law enforcement, and a recent agreement by the Sheriff’s Office to book those charged with misdemeanor drag racing into the Parish Prison have given law enforcement the tools to deter the practice, BRPD Deputy Chief Troy Lawrence told the Metro Council on Wednesday.
“I know some of you may still see drag racing in certain areas; I can say it would be a whole lot worse if we weren’t able to actually tow vehicles and cite the spectators,” Lawrence said. “Thank God that our city ordinance has changed to mitigate those issues.”
This year, BRPD has made three felony arrests, seven misdemeanor arrests and impounded 35 vehicles, Lawrence said. Twenty-nine drivers and 16 spectators have been ticketed under the ordinance, he said.
While Lawrence says progress has been made, the practice hasn’t entirely disappeared from the city.
Last month, spectators watching a stunt race at the intersection of St. Phillip Street and South Boulevard blocked the roadway and beat on a responding BRPD unit, damaging the vehicle. One person was issued a summons to appear in court and his vehicle was towed, according to BRPD.
A BRPD spokesman said at the time that police were investigating the incident and expected further summons to be issued, although Lawrence did not note any further citations when asked about the incident by Councilwoman Denise Amoroso.
Two Texas men were also arrested the same night for a racing incident at Bluebonnet Boulevard and Jefferson Highway, law enforcement said at the time.
“I haven’t heard anything recently, but organized events are definitely still going on out there,” Amoroso said. “I was hoping for higher (arrests), but every number counts.”
The Metro Council first amended its drag racing ordinance in 2021, then again last August after several high-profile drag racing incidents in the city.
The 2021 amendments, proposed by Councilman Rowdy Gaudet, doubled fines for offenders, made event organizers liable and allowed law enforcement to impound a vehicle for 15 days. Last August, the council approved a second set of amendments proposed by Gaudet that expanded the definition of drag racing and allowed for spectators of the events to be ticketed.
“I know the incidents haven’t stopped occurring, and that’s what residents want,” Gaudet said. “I am very pleased that law enforcement has said the tools that were recently enacted are effective tools for purposes of deterring the activity.”
Many of those arrested or ticketed for drag racing are not from Baton Rouge, and some are even from out of state, Lawrence said.
The agreement between state police, the Sheriff’s Office and BRPD to share intelligence on drag racing events should allow for more effective enforcement, Gaudet said.
BRPD’s new ability to impound vehicles involved in the events and the agreement to book those charged with misdemeanor drag racing into the Parish Prison are deterring people from traveling to Baton Rouge for the events, Lawrence said.
“The event organizers are doing a good job … of promoting these events in our city,” Lawrence said. “I don’t think they’ve gotten the response they wanted because of our task force and our partnership with State Police and the sheriff’s department.”
Gaudet and Amoroso said they are having conversations with legislators to potentially bring changes to state law that could further help deter the practice.
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