New Police Task Force To Crack Down On Illegal Dirt Bikers

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City police are trying once again to stop dirt bikers in their tracks, This time, they have formed a task force that they hope will deter illegal riders.

Baltimore dirt bikers are known for being show stoppers -- even in the middle of traffic. But on Thursday, Police Commissioner Kevin Davis announced a crackdown he hopes will stop something much more sinister.

"Not only have we seen the reckless driving, but we have seen violence associated with dirt bike riders," said Davis.

City leaders told the media that dirt bikers are often breaking other laws. They said video from a city camera showed a dirt biker wiping prints off bullets and then loading a gun.

The city has started a new task force to track and aggressively prosecute illegal dirt bikers.

"It is a public safety issue. Not only is it against the law to possess and ride these types of vehicles in Baltimore City, but the correlation between hand gun violence and the dirt bike culture is just too much to ignore," said Charles Blomquist, Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.

In 2015, Allison Blanding was one of three people who died in dirt bike accidents, but her family isn't condemning dirt bikers. Instead, they want a safe place for the bikers to roll.

"Success would be a place where we can safely ride," said Lorren Hayman.

A local dirt biker also told WJZ he supports having a dirt bike park.

"We need a place to ride -- period," he said.

Earlier this year, two council members went to Pennsylvania to check out designs for dirt bike parks, but no plan has been voted on.

The task force has been working for two weeks and has seized several guns.