Six more people have been arrested as part of the Birmingham Police Department’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal street racing and exhibition driving in the city.

Operation Knight Rider began the second weekend in April and has continued with mounting arrests.

Last year, Mayor Randall Woodfin approached the leadership at the police department, asking for a plan to combat street racing and exhibition driving.

Woodfin also joined members of the Jefferson County legislative delegation in November 2022 to announce plans to file a bill to prohibit and impose penalties for certain forms of “exhibition driving,” which includes street and drag racing, burnouts, donuts, and similar activities defined within the bill.

Deputy Chief Michael Pickett, who oversees the department’s Special Operations Bureau, took on the project. Pickett’s team analyzes data, and that data is used to narrow down and target hotspots for resource deployment. Police also encourage residents to call in with tips.

That legislation was passed and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey last year.

Previously, drivers could only get a ticket.

Now, they face a minimum of misdemeanor charges, and up to a Class B felony if someone is injured or killed, or if there is property damage.

In the first month of the operation, police made 34 arrests, with three of the cases presented to the Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution.

The total arrests included 45 felony charges, 32 misdemeanor charges, 10 exhibition driving-related charges and nine charges of fleeing or attempting to elude police.

Officers at that point had recovered nine stolen vehicles and impounded a total of 25 vehicles.

Also during the first month of the operation, police recovered 4.1 pounds of marijuana, 39 grams of cocaine, 228 grams of methamphetamine. They also seized $11,723 in cash which Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said is suspected drug proceeds.

Wade on Wednesday announced the latest rounds of arrests during the weekend of May 31–June 1, and the weekend of June 22-23, 2024,

Six people were arrested, four vehicles impounded – including one stolen vehicle – and seven firearms were seized.

Those arrested are:

– RaJai Atmore, 19, of Hoover, is charged with exhibition driving and unlawful possession of marijuana. One gun was taken from Atmore, and he was booked into the Birmingham City Jail.

– Quentavious Barclay, 29, of Childersburg, is charged with receiving stolen property, attempting to elude and unlawful possession of marijuana. Barclay was booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

– Davon Dortch, 18, of Birmingham, is charged with receiving stolen property. A gun with a Glock switch was seized from Dortch and he was booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

– Jaqua Lacey, 28, of Birmingham, is charged with exhibition driving. He was booked into the Birmingham City Jail.

– Cameron Scales, 18, of Birmingham, is charged with receiving stolen property, felony attempting to elude, and criminal mischief. Police seized four guns from Scales, including one with a Glock switch and one Radical Firearm RF 15 multi-caliber. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

– Messiah Woodruf, 20, of Fultondale, is charged with exhibition driving. He was booked into the Birmingham City Jail.

Wade said Operation Knight Rider will continue throughout the upcoming months.