Two police officers in Zacatecas were relieved of their duties and will be punished for drag racing their patrol vehicles after a video of their race went viral.  

The recording shows two police vehicles side by side, revving their engines while they wait for the starting signal. When a referee standing between the vehicles throws his hands down, they accelerate from the starting line.

The officers are from the municipality of Río Grande, 140 kilometers north of Zacatecas city.

Río Grande Mayor Mario Córdova said he contacted Police Chief Jaime González Barriento as soon as he became aware of the race. Córdova added that the officers’ actions “betray[ed] the trust of citizens,” and that his government “will not tolerate bad actions from any member of the municipal administration.”

“It is very sad that on this occasion we have to speak about things that do not benefit our municipality. We are already working on training so that our police officers do not make mistakes like these again,” the mayor added.

The Río Grande municipal government said it responded swiftly to the incident. “Corrective actions and sanctions have already been carried out in accordance with the law against the officers involved, who are away from work while their situations are determined,” it said in a statement.

With reports from El Universal and Mural