Strong Conn. Police Presence Foils Planned Halloween Street Takeover

"A small influx of vehicles occasionally entered the targeted area but left due to a strong police presence," said a Portland police captain about the department's efforts to thwart a planned Halloween street takeover.

By John Cullen

Source The Middletown Press, Conn.

Nov. 3, 2025

2 min read

What to know

Portland police prevented a planned Halloween street takeover Friday night through coordinated enforcement and early community intelligence.
Officers maintained a strong presence in the targeted industrial area after reports that students were discussing the event, deterring participants from gathering.
The department credited cooperation from neighboring agencies and schools for helping avert potential injuries and traffic hazards.

A strong presence by Portland, CT, police officers thwarted a planned Halloween street takeover.

PORTLAND, CT — Local police prevented a planned Halloween street takeover Friday night, Portland police Capt. Scott Cunningham said Saturday.

"Portland PD deterred any activity by aggressively dissuading any illicit activity, reacting quickly to information received from the community and assistance from neighboring towns and schools," Cunningham said. "A small influx of vehicles occasionally entered the targeted area but left due to a strong police presence."

The takeover was planned for Main Street in an industrial area of town, the police department had announced on Facebook. The area has direct access to the Arrigoni Bridge and Route 9, which would have provided an easy route for drivers from other parts of the state. Because it was Halloween and trick-or-treaters might be around heightened the danger, Portland police officer Paul Liseo said Friday.

School officials contacted police when staff members overheard students talking about it, he said. They sent emails to parents and worked to discourage the event, during which a large number of drivers gather, do doughnuts, spin their tires and perform other tire-screeching stunts — often while people are standing nearby cheering them on. One observer was struck and seriously injured by a car during a street takeover in Shelton last month.

"We just kind of did our due diligence to squash it to make sure it doesn't happen," Liseo said. "We don't want anyone to get hurt."

This story contains previous reporting by staff writer Christine Dempsey.

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