Police Say They Have Been Ordered Not to Enforce Laws - Video of ATV Gang in Providence
Monday, July 24, 2017
Two Providence Police officers have told GoLocalProv that the command of the Providence Police Department have ordered patrol officers not to enforce traffic laws as they relate to gangs of ATVs - which are not legally allowed on city streets - and motorbikes.
According to the officers, who asked GoLocal not to publish their names for fear of reprisal from the command staff, the gangs that can be seen in the video conducting multiple traffic violations and are linked to the harassment of a woman with her two children last week.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThis is not the first time police have been told not to enforce laws by the Elorza administration. Elorza and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare have instructed police not to enforcement existing laws that would deter loitering and panhandling.
ATVs Under Scrutiny
In 2015, the Providence City Council stated that it was "cracking down" on ATVs and minibikes.
"When the warmer weather gets here, we have issues with ATVs and dirt bikes. People have been known to terrorize the neighborhoods and the parks. You can't register an ATV or dirt bike, so any vehicle that's being operated on a city street, the Police Department used to tow them," said Councilman Michael Correia at the time. "People could go to the tow yards and pay $75 to get them back."
"The thing is, in Rhode Island, it's illegal to drive them on city property. So with this ordinance, once we tow, people can't get them back," continued Correia. "These vehicles are meant to be ridden on trails with proper equipment. They can be ridden on private property with owner permission."
In May 2017, the City Council approved an ordinance allowing police to seize and potentially destroy ATVs stopped on city streets, after the 2015 ordinance that allowed the city to fine drivers and force temporary forfeit of such vehicles.
The updated measure came after in incident on Easter Weekend that saw dirt bikes and ATVs swarm a playground on Aleppo Street forcing people to flee the park.
As GoLocal reported on July 19:
An incident on the East Side of Providence involving a group of motorbikes and ATVs - including some that threatened a mother with children in her car - has drawn concern from residents, after the City Council passed an updated ordinance to keep ATVs off city streets.
"I don't feel that this was a regular Sunday driving type of guys. It seemed like they were out to cause trouble," said Providence resident Cristina Moody, who said she was confronted by several of the drivers -- and called the police.
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