BALTIMORE — In April, Baltimore Police arrested 11 people and seized 50 dirt bikes and other unregistered motor vehicles.
“We see an increase every year as soon as the weather breaks, you’ll see people start riding their dirt bikes and not just dirt bikes. It’s a summer thing to ride a two wheel vehicle. It’s just that the dirt bike is illegal in Baltimore City," said Lt. Christopher Warren.
Police say many of these vehicles create noise and are a nuisance for community members, but not everyone has a problem with dirt bikes.
The organization B-360 is using dirt bikes in STEM related learning.
In March, they won grant money to create a dirt bike park.
“So having a brick and mortar gives you a place and a sense of belonging it also allows us to have a communal space right where we build further relationships because dirt bike riding helps further relationships," said Rashad Staton, executive director of CILA and advocate for B-360.
He says that having a space where dirt bikes can go won’t completely solve the issue of dirt bikes in the city, but it may help lesson the amount if the riders have a place they can go.
WMAR asked police if they are seeing an increase in dirt bike activity. They say the numbers are actually trending in the opposite direction.
“We saw a big increase in the late 2000s but we’re seeing a decrease with the enforcement that we we have been doing for the past seven years with the prosecution, with the seizures, with the search warrants we’ve done on houses for dirt bike violations. We have definitely seen a decrease of riding in Baltimore City," said Lt. Warren.
Staton hopes that the stigma and image around dirt bike users can change and become positive for the city.
“This is a cultural phenom here in Baltimore, that if we do Preakness every year, why not do a dirt bike motocross competition every year," said Staton.
Staton says the only way something like this could happen is if the city puts support into projects like the dirt bike park and not just persecution against the riders.
“Find a way to invest, if its a nuisance to you find a way to invest so that it doesn’t become a nuisance and who’s to say that both can’t exist at the same time,” said Staton.
Police also say that in addition to those 11 arrests, they also obtained charges against 20 people who were caught illegally riding dirt bikes in the city.
Anyone with information concerning dirt bike riders or violations can call or text the tip line at 443-902-4474, or email dirtbiketips@baltimorepolice.org.
