Big controversy is brewing in my hometown in East Central Indiana. Something I never knew went on happened for the 17th annual time back in early May in Albany, IN.
A program called Drags Not Drugs, where my hometown police officer sends out an off duty officer with a taxpayer funded police car and spends taxpayers hard earned, stolen money to drag race against local teens at the local drag strip in order to keep kids off drugs.
I posted about this on my facebook page and a big debate brewed, not surprisingly most people were in favor of it.
Here is the press release announcing last years Drags Not Drugs event, so you know what it’s all about.
Evo Street Racers has been proudly working with Mr. Denny Reed since 2006. Mr. Reed has proved the old adage that good things come with hard work as seen in his 16 years of running the Drag Not Drugs program in Indiana. Not only does he feature one of the largest high school drags program in the country but he does so with the support of Lincoln Tech providing over $20,000 in scholarships to the winners each year.
To further add variety and excitement to his race program Mr. Reed integrates the High School Drag program with Beat The Heat inc. Not only will spectators and participants have an opportunity to watch exhibition runs of some of the fastest cop cars in the country but for those who are racing will also have a chance to compete against them for bragging rites! Mr. Reed’s event addresses many societal concerns ranging from drug abuse to illegal street racing through education on the dangers of each while providing fun and viable alternatives. Ensuring many of these youth have a promising future he has given over $130,000.00 in Lincoln Tech scholarship dollars over the last 6 years.
Scholarship or not, nothing says responsible teenage driving like drag racing at speeds likely greater than 100mph.
My post made it to the attention of the Chief Deputy of the police force and prompted a post from him on the departments facebook page. I’d share it but it is not showing up in any searches. I’ve either been blocked from the page I’ve never liked, or the page has been deleted.
Here is the original story about the controversy in my hometown newspaper. Instead of being out on the streets serving and protecting by looking for robbers, arsons, murderers and thieves, they’re out drag racing teenagers, teaching them things that would get them arrested if they do it any other time and day.
Police car at dragway under fire
By Danny K Careins
NT Managing EditorPublished:
Friday, August 13, 2010 6:03 AM CDTAlthough authorization was given by a superior for a Hartford City Police Department patrol vehicle to be at the Muncie Dragway for an event in May there is now an investigation being conducted into the matter by Mayor Dennis Whitesell and city council president Scott Confer.
Sometime in May Hartford City Police Department officer Mark McKissack participated in an event at the Muncie Dragway, 7901 E. State Road 67/28, Albany, where cops in patrol vehicles drag race against high school-age students.
“I authorized it,” said Greg Bonewit, chief deputy of the Hartford City Police Department. He described the drag racing event as “once-a-year” with teenagers being allowed to bring their vehicles to drag race against patrol vehicles from various police departments.
See the rest of the story in the Friday, Aug. 13 print edition of the News Times
Everyone drag racing in the event should be arrested and charged with racing/speeding and wreckless driving. In addition, the cop(s) involved should be charged and tried for conduct unbecoming an officer, contributing to the delinquency of minors, failure to uphold/violation of oath, malfeasance, misuse of public property, and be fired. The chief deputy’s “authorization”/say so does not exempt/immune the event and him from the law.
I’d rather see them do this with my money than bust people for possession. I’d also rather see kids drag at a track than on the streets. If I subscribed to a private security service I would use one that has these kinds of programs. That being said, I really have no right to say how anyone else’s money should be spent, so I’m just speaking for my share. I wish I could talk with my dollars.
I wouldn’t mind cops doing stuff like this if they were legitimate enforcers of decent laws.
As it is – their selective enforcement of unjust laws written for and by corporations takes away any sympathy one might have had for partiicpation in these community events.From what I can tell, most long-time drug dealers seem to be operating with at least the permission if not the complicity of local law enforcement. Come on – 30 years into a ‘drug war’ with mules and junkies filling the courthouses. All I can say is if our cops weren’t corrupt, they’d have to be pretty stupid.
But to this particular false PR move – just how long does anyone think until we would have read about this police stunt drag race having gone awry and the local tax slaves footing the bill?
Good job bringing the fire CopBlock.
“they’re out drag racing teenagers, teaching them things that would get them arrested if they do it any other time and day.”
This makes no sense, drag racing at a raceway does not get you arrested any other time and day. And just because the kids are high school aged doesn’t make it illegal for the kids to be involved. Parental consent may or may not be needed–depending on state law.
Come on guys, targeting police action to shows its corrupt nature and other evils is one thing. This is just grasping at straws. The police are involved in an activity other than policing, so what. We can balk at the tax expenditure, but that is making the huge assumption that 1) tax payer money is being used for it; and 2) that the tax payers making those payments would not want the program paid for with their taxes.
Too many assumptions and too much being made out of nothing.
CopBlock, you can do better.
I think this is a great thing for police to be doing. And if I were in their community I would not begrudge them the tax dollars to do it.
We and the police have an us-versus-them mindset that needs to change if both sides are going to see each other as real human beings. Genuine, informal interaction is the key. Outreach programs like this can do that.
I’d much rather have my money spent on this than some childhood indoctrination program like DARE.
If you guys have run out of genuine instances of police abuse to the point that this is the biggest target on your radar, maybe it is time to take a break.
I think this is great. Going to local drag races probably saved my life when I was a teenager. Kept me occupied and gave me something to look forward to each weekend. This is also a great way for the the police to interact with local kids. This kind of puts them each on the same level, if only for one night, common ground if you will, and only good can come out of two parts of a community coming together. I would so enjoy & support this if it were my town.
@northern indiana, I agree if its done at a racetrack, with all the safety requirements and not using taxpayer money. If the race Police car was donated, and the officers want to run charity events to help pay for the insurance and fuel. I could not agree more. Anything to bring the community together so theres not a “them and us ” is better.
I really can’t take issue with this, except for the fact that it is taxpayer funded, but considering how many far more horrible things they do with my money, I really can’t get that worked up. I just don’t feel the same sense of outrage and righteous indignation that I get with say, the average Radley Balko story. One matter that did strike me were the profuse grammatical errors in the cop’s press release. “Bragging RITES,” seriously!?! Apparently, “bragging” is a ritualistic religious ceremony performed by the winners of these races.
Anyway, I know it is easy to slip into the habit of framing EVERYTHING the cops do in the worst possible light when you see them for what they really are, and are cognizant of all the terrible things they do to innocent people, but frankly, this post is a big whiff as far as I’m concerned. This event is at a safe place, on a racetrack with proper insurance and medical personnel and safety protocols, away from public streets, and everyone is participating voluntarily. And it has been going on without incident for 16 years! This story probably wont change any minds, and looks kind of petty to me.