"They are going to be cited:" As summer approaches, one agency has zero tolerance policy for street racing

GERMANTOWN (WITI) -- Germantown police say they want to stop the problem before it starts. Street racing has been reported in Germantown in the past, and as summer approaches, officials say they have a zero tolerance policy for street racing.

"They are getting into some old bad habits," Germantown Police Lt. Dave Huesemann said. "The potential for some serious motor vehicle crashes is very great here."

Huesemann has seen street racing before. He says a nearby law enforcement agency handled reports of street racing this past weekend -- and the Germantown Police Department is trying to get out ahead of the problem.

"If we identify offenders, they are going to be cited for every offense we witness or we can substantiate," Lt. Huesemann said.

And street racing isn't reserved for hot rods.

Adam Arnold with Germantown Tire and Automotive says many factory cars are considered high-performance. He says even factory tires can be rated for speeds above 150 miles-per-hour.

"I mean, the people that are doing this, they are not having to buy any special equipment just from the standpoint of a tire," Arnold said.

Arnold has been fixing cars for more than 30 years. He says things can go wrong real quick when you take a race off the racetrack.

"Easily wreck a tire and crash," Arnold said.

Germantown police are encouraging residents to report street racing, because many times, a well-orchestrated race will have spotters watching for police. Police have done special patrols in the past, but they didn't want to talk specifically about how those are carried out. Any illegal racing video posted online can be used as evidence, so citizens who come across street racing video online are encouraged to contact police.