Council Member Phil Wong has introduced legislation that would formally establish permanent street-takeover enforcement and surveillance units within the NYPD in response to a “dangerous” incident in Middle Village/Maspeth in April, which saw almost 100 vehicles block traffic and perform stunts in the neighborhood.
Wong’s Intro 984 would require the police to organize and maintain a dedicated street-takeover unit to respond to illegal takeovers and remove participating vehicles. The legislation would also require the NYPD to establish a surveillance unit tasked with monitoring publicly available information to identify when and where street takeovers may occur. Wong said such a task force would allow officers to intervene before crowds can “seize control of public streets.”
