Amarillo police continue fighting street racing with 2nd year of Race-A-Cop

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Amarillo Police Department is hosting its second year of Race-A-Cop this summer.

At the 2022 event, APD said 1,450 people came to watch and 177 drivers showed up. It’s not just to test how fast your car is against a police officer.

“These are life-altering decisions that you’re making because you want to have a little fun and speed when there are other options out there,” said Sgt. Carla Burr, public information officer for Amarillo Police Department. “We really have to get people to think about it.”

APD says street racing is a problem in Amarillo.

“They’re risking lives,” said Sgt. Burr. “They need to recognize that and take responsibility by doing it in a responsible way instead of doing it the way they are.”

With the event being held at the drag strip, it gives people a safe option to race while removing those who don’t sign up for the race.

“It’s a safe environment,” said Burr. “You can see exactly how fast you can go, you can see exactly by how much you beat someone else or get beat by someone else.”

This year, APD is hosting two Race-A-Cops at the Amarillo Dragway. The first is June 17 and the second is Sep. 23.

“The point is not to take their cars, the point is not to punish someone,” said Burr. “The point is to get them to stop doing it. Let’s go somewhere that is safe, controlled.”

For more information, APD has made a Facebook event for updates on Race-A-Cop.

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