Birmingham police relaunch Operation Knight Rider to combat street racing on New Year's Eve

ALABAMA. AND AS WE GET READY TO CELEBRATE, THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT ENHANCING THEIR SAFETY PLAN. THE GOAL, OF COURSE, TO CRACK DOWN ON CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE, EXHIBITION DRIVING AND OTHER CRIME. WVTM 13 S MYA CALEB JOINS US LIVE FROM CITY WALK WITH MORE ON THE DEPARTMENT’S INITIATIVE. HEY MYA. SO, EMMA, LOOKING OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE SPEED BUMPS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO CRACK DOWN ON SPEED RACING AND EXHIBITION DRIVING. STARTING TONIGHT, BIRMINGHAM POLICE WILL BE RELAUNCHING OPERATION NIGHT RIDER FOR THE SAME REASON. BIRMINGHAM POLICE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GEORGIA THAT POTENTIAL STREET RACING ACTIVITIES IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA COULD BE MOVING INTO BIRMINGHAM. BIRMINGHAM POLICE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND ALEA STATE TROOPERS IN THE EFFORT TO COMBAT EXHIBITION DRIVING. THIS WILL NOT TAKE AWAY FROM RESOURCES DEDICATED TO CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE AND OTHER CRIMES. WE ARE A CITY THAT HAS SEEN THE DEVASTATION THAT EXHIBITION DRIVING HAS CAUSED. WE HAVE HAD COUNTLESS ACCIDENTS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF EXHIBITION DRIVING. WE HAVE EVEN SEEN A HOMICIDE TAKE PLACE IN OUR NORTH BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY THAT STEMMED FROM EXHIBITION DRIVING. INTERIM CHIEF MICHAEL PICKETT WANTS TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OPERATION NIGHT RIDER WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE OPERATION, AND URGES ANY PARTICIPANTS THAT MAY LOOK TO GO INTO STREET RACING TODAY TO RECONSIDER.