Elorza to Illegal ATV & Dirt Bike Riders: Don't Come to Our City or There Will Be Consequences

Elorza to Illegal ATV & Dirt Bike Riders: Don't Come to Our City or There Will Be Consequences

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza joined Providence Police and public safety officials on Thursday to send a message to ATV and dirt bike riders -- which are illegal to operate on city streets. 

"Don't come, don't ride your ATVs on our streets," said Elorza. "If you do, there will be consequences."

The press conference marked the latest in the city’s battle against the vehicles that has gone on for years — as GoLocal reported in 2015, “Providence to Crack Down on ATVs and Minibikes.”

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In 2017, a mother with her children in her car reported being surrounded and threatened by a group of riders. 

In 2021, a woman in Providence was punched and kicked after an encounter with a group of ATV and dirt bike riders. 

Off-road vehicles have repeatedly torn up the grounds at Roger Wiliams Park in the city. 

“We know the illegal reckless operation of these vehicles on city streets have posed and will continue to pose danger,” said Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements on Thursday. “This is a regional issue and a national issue. This is a great challenge for urban police departments around the country. Over the last several years we’ve seized over 250 — they’re hard apprehensions to make in a safe manner.”

 

A “Surgical” Approach 

“We’ve strategized and looked at various practices — if they come and ride recklessly and illegally, police will be ready and there will be a response,” said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare on Thursday. 

Clements cited the legislation passed at the city level allowing police to seize and destroy off-road vehicles found to be on city streets. 

“The message is — individuals who are operating illegally, when apprehended they’re going to be brought to the courts and their bike will be legally seized and brought through the legal process,” said Clements. “Currently we have 97 in queue in our custody — it’s a long process. It has to be betted. 55 have been adjudicated.”

“It might not be perfect — there is n  magic solution,” he added. “It will not be tolerated — it’s unacceptable for the safety of the community.”

When asked if police will be more “aggressive” in their approach to making arrests — Clements said now. 

“I would not say more aggressive…I’d say we’re more surgical,” said Clements. “So no, not more aggressive — that poses the greatest risk to our officers and motorists.”

“We’re more surgical,” he said. “We find our greatest ability to have success when we direct resources to the issue. When we have good intelligence and information and we direct our patrols as to what we want our operation to look like, we have success.”