For Immediate Release: March 29, 2021
OPD NEWS:
On March 28, 2021, there was illegal sideshow activity in the City of Oakland. The Oakland Police Department allocated dedicated resources to focus on deterring, enforcing and responding to illegal sideshow activity with permission from the City Administrator.
At its height, 200-300 vehicles drove throughout East Oakland looking for an intersection to take over. The group was unsuccessful as officers on the ground, in OPD’s Police Helicopter (ARGUS), and outside law enforcement agencies prevented this from happening.
Officers were able to observe and pinpoint specific vehicles driving recklessly. Officers made precision stops, issuing 10 citations, towing six vehicles, making two arrests, and recovering one firearm. One of the people arrested is an individual from Portland Oregon and is affiliated with a car club in that area. That individual also had their vehicle towed.
Illegal sideshows affect many cities throughout the Bay Area. The Oakland Police Department would like to thank the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, San Francisco Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, and California Highway Patrol for their regional communication that assisted OPD during this illegal activity. This regional approach and collaboration are crucial in successfully deterring and preventing illegal sideshows.
We encourage our community members and visitors to use the non-emergency email sideshowtips@oaklandca.gov It's a tip line where residents and visitors can report information regarding illegal sideshows, as well as vehicles and people involved in this illegal activity.
The email is an alternative to our non-emergency number (510) 777-3333 and is an additional means of collecting information about illegal sideshows. If there is an emergency or immediate safety threat, call 911.
OPD will continue working with our community and city partners to find the best means to deter illegal sideshows in Oakland. The department continues its commitment and dedication to investigating, enforcing, and preventing illegal sideshow activities from occurring in the City of Oakland. Officers collect information on vehicles for follow-up investigations and vehicle seizure warrants.