Hamtramck residents want police crackdown on drag racing

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WJBK) - Worried neighbors grabbed their phones and started to record drivers burning rubber, racing down a residential street in Hamtramck.

Now people who live nearby, are asking police to stop the street racing before somebody gets hurt.

"I saw three cars doing donuts in the intersection," said resident Catherine Roach.

Well, donuts, speeding, squealing tires, and doing most of it in front of popular, kid-friendly Pulaski Park.

"I think that is for them, fun, you know - but it's not," said one resident. "It's very dangerous what they're doing."

"There was probably 30 people standing around," Roach said. “They could've gotten killed easily. And this has been happening for most of the summer."

Squealing tires and burning rubber is considered drag racing under Michigan law. If caught you could go to jail for up to 93 days. If you kill someone, you get prison."

"We complain but they cannot catch them," said one resident. "They hear the police noise and they run away."

"We are on it, we are increasing patrols," said Police Chief Anne Moise. "It was hot yesterday, so are you definitely sure we're going to have officers there and we are looking for the suspects."

Neighbors say that there is some kind of racing nearly every day just before dark.  And they are hopeful that police put a stop to this before something really serious happens. 

"This isn't just traffic, little kids lives are in danger here," Roach said.