Providence Police seize 30 ATVs in two weeks

PROVIDENCE POLICE CHEIF Hugh Clements said his department has seized 30 illegal all-terrain vehicles in the last two weeks. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – A more strategic crackdown on illegal all-terrain vehicles across the city is yielding some initial success, with about 30 ATVs and dirt bikes seized in the last two weeks, Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements said on Thursday.

By comparison, city law enforcement have confiscated about 200 ATVs over the last several years, Mayor Jorge O. Elorza’s administration has said previously.

A policy allowing police to seize and confiscate recreational vehicles, which are not allowed on any public land or streets city – or statewide, has been on the books since 2017. But chasing down the bikes, which by their nature can easily traverse parks, sidewalks and dodge in and out of traffic, has proven difficult.

Clements credited the recent success to a more strategic approach to seeking out “hot spots” where riders tend to gather and ride. Backup from the R.I. State Police has also aided in several of these recent “sting” operations, though most of the state support has been through regular neighborhood patrols.

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ATVs have long plagued the city, prompting concerns over noise and safety. But what was long viewed as a nuisance has escalated to a more serious concern after a woman was dragged out of her car and beaten by a group of ATV riders on Valley Street earlier this month. One person has been arrested and charged in the incident.

A special City Council meeting on Aug. 10 organized specifically to address the wave of highly publicized violent crime has also put pressure on law enforcement to double down on its ATV strategy, Clements said.

“It’s important we look at this in a hard way,” he said.

Elorza and Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré, have also called for hardline approach to ATVs in recent weeks, yet offered few details on how, if at all, the city could change or improve its enforcement. Paré in an interview earlier this week reiterated that the problem is complex with no easy solution.

Elorza, who previously expressed interest in creating a dedicated location for riders to take their bikes as well as a registration system, has since backed off that proposal, citing logistical difficulties as well as cost.

Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.

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