STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
75cI
VOLUME 118
Issue 19
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021
North Metro PDs tackle street racing There isn’t one way to address the instensifying street racing problem, area police explain BY LIAM ADAMS LADAMS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Street racing and related issues, such as spontaneous car parties, have become an issue that has intensified throughout the Denver metro area and Brighton, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster police departments are taking individual and collective steps to address it. Reducing street racing isn’t as straightforward as issuing speeding tickets, however, representatives of the police departments said. Westminster, for example, is working with businesses to shore up space where car parties occur, while Brighton is ramping up patrols. Since January, Northglenn PD has received 27 traffic complaints related to street racing, a third of which has been on I-25. Brighton PD has received 18 calls for service, primarily near the King Soopers along 50th Avenue. Westminster PD has received “numerous complaints,” said spokesman Ray Esslinger. The department didn’t have precise numbers because it was hard to sort out complaints specifically about street racing and other issues, like noise nuisances, Esslinger said. Street racing in Westminster has occurred along U.S. Highway 36 and Huron Street between 120th Avenue and 144th Avenue. In what strictly qualifies as a street race, none of the departments have recorded any fatalities since January. All four departments are part of a 34-member task force on street racing led by Colorado State Patrol that also includes the Commerce City SEE RACING, P4
SWAT teams leaving the Riverwalk Apartments. There was no potential threat to the community.
Domestic violence Suspect-at-large Swat teams guns drawn in an early morning domestic distrubance BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Concerns about a reported domestic violence incident early May 4 led Brighton police to surround an apartment complex in the southwestern part of the city. The Brighton Police Department was called to the scene at the Riverwalk Apartments in the 700 block of Mockingbird Street early in the morning May 4 in regards to a pos-
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sible suspect at large after a domestic violence incident. The police and SWAT teams surrounded the apartment complex with guns drawn. “Based on the circumstances and the information, we were able to garner, we initially, called out our SWAT team to assist our patrol division in securing the scene and preventing any additional danger to the residents,” said Brighton Police Cmdr. Matthew Domenico. Domenico said officers received tips from mobile phones about a hostage situation but detectives later determined that was inaccurate. “No one was inside the home and we made contact with the resident. They are aware of what’s going on,” said Domenico. “I don’t believe the
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resident was a friend or the suspect lived at the address. I can’t say anything additional about the reason. We’ve got some investigative work to figure out all the circumstances behind it.” No arrest was made, and the investigation is ongoing. There was no active threat to the community, Domenico said. The area has been cleared and residents are safe to return home. “There is still a suspect at large that we’re looking for. We’re not prepared to release any names or any information at this point. But we do not believe those represent threats to the communities,” said Domenico.
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