ATVs in Philadelphia: Police ramping up enforcement, confiscations of ATVs, dirtbikes

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police say they will be cracking down on enforcement of illegal ATVs and dirtbikes on city streets as city leaders focus on quality-of-life issues. 

During a press conference Wednesday morning, Deputy Police Commissioner James Kelly explained that, moving forward, ATV and dirtbike enforcement will become more prominent and visible in the city. 

Kelly pointed out that quality of life issues such as the illegal use of ATVs and dirtbikes on city streets are a priority for Mayor Cherelle Parker and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. 

"It is one of the biggest drivers of the complaints that we get about quality of life issues," Deputy Commissioner Kelly said Wednesday. "People feel unsafe… people in many cases feel terrorized by it. They’re stuck in their cars, these ATVs are riding around recklessly, riding on sidewalks with pedestrians."

Kelly said the crackdown from police is already underway and police confiscated more than a dozen motorized vehicles on Tuesday.

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"Yesterday, we knew it was warm. We put together a quick detail – the detail envelopes different assets from patrol, special operations – we did a quick detail yesterday and we were able to grab 15 vehicles off the street in a very short time of about two hours," Kelly said.

He went on to say that Tuesday’s operation would have gone on longer had it not been for the afternoon rain that moved in. 

Kelly delivered his remarks from one of the department’s impound lots surrounded by dirtbikes and ATVs that have been confiscated over the last year or so. He added that about 80% of the vehicles confiscated in that time frame have already been destroyed, and many of those still on the lot may be under an appeal process. 

"You will see a lot more of these details moving forward," Kelly sad. "We’ve done them in the past. We’re going to really step up our game and start doing a lot more of them." 

Kelly also stressed that the ATV and dirtbike complaints come from every neighborhood in Philadelphia, and not just Center City. 

"There’s not a neighborhood in the city that isn’t fed up with this nonsense," Kelly said. "That’s one of Mayor Parker’s major things – we’ve got to start making people feel safe in this city."