WATERBURY, Conn. — Police in Waterbury as well as other agencies across the state are once again on high alert for off-road vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes illegally riding.
Lieutenant Ryan Bessette with Waterbury Police says they are not permitted anywhere in the city.
On Friday, police arrested and charged three people for illegally riding the vehicles in the city.
"It’s dangerous. It’s not permitted and the Waterbury Police Department takes it extremely seriously," he said. "With summertime coming, we’ve traditionally seen an increase in ATV-related complaints and our biggest concern is the reckless use and operation of these ATVs on city streets."
Riders can face both monetary and criminal charges. In New Haven, a rider will face a one thousand dollar penalty on his or her first offense. Passengers can also be fined.
Bridgeport also recently passed a law where gas stations cannot sell fuel to the vehicles unless they're registered and can face fines if they do.
Lieutenant Bessette says the riders are a danger to themselves and the public.
"We’ve seen many times these operators pulling wheelies, swerving in and out of traffic, cutting people off in the roadway and this kind of behavior is very concerning," he said.
The Waterbury traffic unit gathers information on where the vehicles are stored and where they are most often found in use. Using cameras, video, and surveillance, he says they try to stop the motorists.
If an officer sees one in use, or a group of them, they will try to step in.
"However, they’ll use their best judgment whether to continue based on the significant risk they can pose to the public," he said.
The lieutenant says their efforts have worked, but they need the community to do their part too and report any information they may have on their whereabouts. People in the city can do so by calling their ATV tipline at (203) 573-6662 or atvtips@waterburyct.org.
Other cities have tried to spread the message that off-road vehicles are not welcome. The City of Hartford crushed dozens in 2020. Hartford Police have also begun utilizing drones to crackdown on illegal riders.
A large group of riders drove in front of an East Haven police officer in July. Police were seen tackling one driver who fell off his bike. They later made an arrest of a man who taunted police during the ride and then posted about it on social media.
It's a nuisance for many neighbors across the state.
"They come by my house all the time making so much noise making my dog go nuts," one wrote on an ATV-related Facebook post on the Waterbury Police Department page.
Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tblack@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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