San Jose police utilized a new tactic during a weekend sideshow crackdown that resulted in hundreds of people being cited.
As drivers and a crowd participated in a sideshow Saturday night in the area of Monterey Highway and Branham Lane in South San Jose, police officers, with a police helicopter directing them from overhead, moved in to block the drivers and spectators in the intersection.
In total, an estimated 500 cars were stopped and 720 citations were issued.
Officers said the method has been very effective over the past six months, but only when they have the resources.
"It’s either push them away or block them in and issue citations," San Jose police Deputy Chief Brian Shab said. "Not every time are we going to be able to do that, but every single time we possibly can we will employ that tactic."
Shab said the San Jose sideshow law gives their efforts some teeth. The law makes it illegal to participate in, promote or gather to watch a sideshow. It's a misdemeanor and comes with a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail.
Police said their chopper is up patrolling on the weekends. The air unit developed the tactic and is now teaching it to other agencies around the state that are facing a similar sideshow problem.
"911 calls will always be our priority to make sure that we have enough officers to do that, but we have to pull all these other officers out to be able to manage this," Shab said. "We’re committed to doing it if that’s what it takes to solve this problem."
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. >Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
