Board of Supervisors Take Steps to Increase Penalties for Illegal Street Takeovers and Call on Social Media Platforms to Remove & Demonetize Posts Promoting These Illegal Activities

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Building on the County’s efforts to prevent and address illegal street racing and takeovers, today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s motion calling for amendments to the County’s ordinance to be brought back to the Board of Supervisors within 90 days based off recommendations from the County’s Street Takeover Reduction Workgroup that includes increasing misdemeanor fines from $500 to $1,000, clarifying that these penalties apply to those who organize, participate and spectate in illegal street takeover events and updating language in ordinance to include the word takeovers.  

The motion also calls for a letter from the Board of Supervisors urging leading social media platforms to enforce their own terms and conditions that already prohibit promoting illegal activities by removing and demonetizing posts on illegal street racing and takeovers.  

“This is one of many approaches we are taking to address this issue that far too many of my constituents are impacted by” said Supervisor Mitchell, who represents Los Angeles County’s Second District, which has the highest number of incidents and saw an increase by 106 takeovers within one quarter alone, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “The amendments I am calling for the County’s ordinance match efforts taken by local cities for our unincorporated communities and provide relevant and clarifying language to help end these harmful and often deadly activities that impact participants, spectators, and surrounding neighborhoods.” 

In 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Mitchell’s motion establishing the County’s Takeover Reduction Workgroup to develop a comprehensive Action Plan informed by the County’s Chief Executive Office, Department of Public Works, Department of Youth Development, Sheriff’s Department, County Counsel, law enforcement agencies, advocacy organizations, and residents.  

“I want to thank Supervisor Mitchell for introducing this motion to hold those who organize and participate in street takeovers accountable and for sending a strong message to social media companies that they cannot continue to incentivize the promotion of illegal takeovers at the expense of the residents of Los Angeles County,” shared Lili Trujillo Puckett, Founder and Executive Director of Street Racing Kills and member of the County’s Street Takeover Reduction Group, she continued “I know this pain firsthand—my daughter was killed in a street race. This tragic and unnecessary loss fuels my mission to put an end to these deadly events and prevent other families from suffering the same heartbreak.” 

Today’s vote is an important first step. Within 90 days the amended ordinance is slated to be presented to the Board of Supervisors for an initial reading, once approved it returns to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote to adopt the updated ordinance.