Providence will use undercover officers and surveillance to stop ATV joyriding in city

Mark Reynolds, The Providence Journal
·3 min read

PROVIDENCE – A new season of illegal joy rides on all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes has arrived in the city.

Anticipated like the hatching of mosquitoes, it has come on the watch of a new mayor, Brett Smiley, and a new police chief, Col. Oscar Perez.

From City Hall on Wednesday, they jointly announced the city's latest strategy for off-road vehicle control: A team of five police specialists will focus on combating the outlawed activity, targeting riders as well as the storage and sale of ATVs and dirt bikes.

The department will employ undercover techniques and gather data including video and social-media posts in its bid to seize more machines and penalize more outlaw riders, they said.

Elorza: Illegal ATVs, dirt bikes 'will not be tolerated' in Providence

"We want everyone to know," said Perez: "Drivers will be arrested and held accountable for their illegal, reckless actions."

As part of the strategy, police will gather information on who is storing ATVs and encourage residents to help police detect ATV and dirt bike use before it happens by reporting helpful information.

A sergeant and four officers will work as the department's new Community Response Team, but the organization will rely on all of its resources to combat illegal vehicle riding, Perez said.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, left, Police Chief Oscar Perez, center, and Deputy Chief Kevin Lanni unveil city's new strategy for getting illegal ATVs and dirt bikes off the city's streets.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, left, Police Chief Oscar Perez, center, and Deputy Chief Kevin Lanni unveil city's new strategy for getting illegal ATVs and dirt bikes off the city's streets.

The city will more closely coordinate with the attorney general's office to bring criminal charges against riders when appropriate, Smiley said.

"They do not belong on city streets," said Smiley. "They are unsafe, and this is in everyone's best interest that we get serious about it."

When pressed to distinguish the latest policy from others before it, Smiley said that one difference is the priority he gives it.

Another difference, Smiley said, is that city will rely on an investigative approach to take action preemptively instead of "responding to reports" only after ATVs and dirt bikes have gone down the road.

"So that we can grab them before they gather before they head out," Smiley said, adding that the formation of a dedicated team is another difference.

The city is exploring all options for dealing with the ATVs and dirt bikes it seizes, from destroying them to selling them, Smiley said. He doesn't anticipate any need to change laws, he said.

These dirt bikes and ATVs were used illegally on Providence streets and seized by the police in 2018. They were lined up to be crushed by an excavator.
These dirt bikes and ATVs were used illegally on Providence streets and seized by the police in 2018. They were lined up to be crushed by an excavator.

The department's dedicated ATV and dirt bike tipline is for people to notify police when they learn about storage of ATVs and dirt bikes in their neighborhood or when a tipster, perhaps a parent, learns that certain youths have future plans to take a ride on city streets, Smiley said. The line is (401) 680-TATV.

Smiley discourages residents from reactively calling the line when they spot an ATV or dirt bike rolling down the street. He encourages them to dial 911 if they feel endangered by off-road vehicle activity on city streets.

"These vehicles are unsafe for riders," Smiley said. "They degrade the quality of life in our neighborhoods. They are bad for business and they are bad for our city's reputation. This administration going to have a serious, proactive, sustained commitment to making progress on this challenge in our community."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence cops to fight ATV nuisance with informants, undercover cops