Birmingham Makes Arrests for Exhibition Driving, Seizes Guns; More Enforcement to Come, Says Mayor

By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson | The Birmingham Times Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said Tuesday that a Birmingham Police Department operation launched earlier this month aimed at curbing exhibition drivers — leading to five arrests and seven vehicles and seven guns seized — “is not one weekend and done.” Woodfin told the council that Operation Knight Rider (a joint effort between city police and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office), this month made several arrests, impounded cars and executed search warrants at various chop shops across the city. The mayor said officers noticed an uptick in exhibition driving activity around April 5 and responded in the immediate days following the incidents. Video surfaced on social media in recent weeks about the exhibition driving, as have complaints from those who live in areas where the events are taking place. “So, while it may appear that there was no strategy, five significant arrests were made and various operations (have been) going since the weekend of April 12,” he said. “I want to acknowledge that various search warrants were conducted to include chop shop locations …. (and) I want to be clear that this operation is not a one weekend done situation.” He said police over...