- Massachusetts recorded zero street takeovers after a statewide crackdown.
- Police issued 232 citations, made 7 arrests, and towed 15 vehicles.
- Governor Healey announced $14 million in new public safety grants.
Illegal street takeovers and sideshows have become a growing issue across the country, and while every region faces its challenges, some areas have been hit harder than others.
Last week, we reported that a takeover in Boston, Massachusetts, made national headlines after a crowd of more than 100 people swarmed a police cruiser, set it ablaze, and left the scene with authorities making just two arrests.
Read: 100 People Attack Police Cruisers As Street Takeover Spirals Out Of Control
Clearly, that’s not the kind of enforcement that locals want or need. Now, the state’s Governor is committing millions to turn the tide, and it’s already paying off.
Weekend Sweep Results
Officials report that coordinated operations across Eastern Massachusetts last weekend produced 232 citations, 74 warnings, and 20 criminal summonses. Police also made seven arrests and towed 15 vehicles.
During the same sweep, troopers recovered a stolen car and seized narcotics as part of the stepped-up patrols. It remains unclear how many of those arrests or impounded vehicles were directly linked to the Boston incidents that sparked the crackdown.
There was an even bigger win though. For the first time in weeks, there were zero reports of street takeovers.
More: Dodge Charger Driver Arrested After Wild Street Takeover Ends In Chaos And Injuries
“Zero Tolerance”…Massachusetts Gov teaming up with State and local police when it comes to cracking down on those illegal street takeovers…a weekend saturation patrol netted state police 7 arrests and more than 200 citations #7News pic.twitter.com/XWkjH0J0JK
— Steve Cooper (@scooperon7) October 16, 2025
Governor Healey pointed to the incident in Boston as an impetus for the new operation. “This is exactly why we took action,” she said. “These illegal street takeovers cause public disorder, damage property, and put lives at risk. Thanks to strong collaboration between state and local police, we didn’t see the chaos that’s been disrupting communities in recent weeks.”
Inside the Crackdown
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble explained that the agency relied on intelligence from the Commonwealth Fusion Center and aerial support from the Air Wing to identify and intercept potential gatherings before they started.
The crackdown is part of a broader “Excellence Initiative” to boost safety through targeted, data-driven enforcement.
Along with the increased enforcement is a $14 million safety grant program spread across over 200 police departments and 10 state agencies. That cash will come from the NHTSA and go to bolstering patrols, upgrading technology, and negating takeover activities statewide.
Authorities didn’t say exactly how they’d continue to attack things like sideshows, but if last weekend is any evidence, they seem to have a decent system in place. Now, they’ve got the cash to go on.