• Birmingham Police’s Knight Rider Operation is proving successful at targeting street takeovers.
  • It’s captured drivers, cars, and stolen property over the course of three weeks.
  • As the operation continues, other cities might benefit from a similar approach.

Street takeovers can turn deadly within the blink of an eye and that’s one reason that the Birmingham PD in Alabama created a unique operation to deal with them. Dubbed Operation Knight Rider, the task force has taken to the streets across several weekends looking for takeovers. Authorities have found stolen cars, stolen property, and participants who are wanted for serious crimes.

The major city in Alabama has been facing problems with takeovers and sideshows for well over a year. In January of 2023, the department caught some flack for bumping a pedestrian with a car after the person on foot tried to block a responding officer. This new crackdown aims to curtail the issue across the greater Birmingham area with consistent and somewhat close-to-the-vest tactics.

Read: Toyota Camry Driver Wrecks Havoc Hitting Several Cars In Frantic Escape

In the operation’s first weekend, April 12th through the 14th, officers arrested five people. Some were charged with receiving stolen property, felony attempting to elude, and exhibition driving. Police seized seven vehicles too including two stolen late-model Chevrolet Camaros and a stolen Dodge Charger SRT.

In the second weekend, they nabbed two more stolen vehicles, another Dodge Charger and another Chevy Camaro. They also arrested six more people. Weekend number three didn’t end up with as many headline-grabbing figures but perhaps the operation is working well enough already that fewer people are willing to take part.

Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns

It saw the arrest of four people, the seizure of three more cars including two that were stolen, and the seizure of two firearms as well. One of those arrests included a person wanted for attempted murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied building. Suffice it to say, the task force is doing seriously valuable work at this point.

The consistent nature of Operation Knight Rider will continue throughout the next several months says the department. Other cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston might benefit from collaborating with the Birmingham PD on how it’s being successful. For now, it’s saying very little about its tactics publicly so that the success continues.

Images: Birmingham PD