What about an organized protest? We can meetup and demand that the Mayor do something about this criminal activity. The Police know who these people are. The Mayor knows where these people live. I sent movies and images of the bikes and atvs when they were based on 79 Hubinger st. Now they are on Edgewood. The police can easily look at the multiple images and movies and find these criminals. Lets get the owners of these property to stop their tenants from storing these illegal motor vehicles. I can't store an unregistered motor vehicle on my property.

You know it just a matter of time before something terrible happens. These masked criminals a reckless. It's just a matter of time before one of these hoodlums smashes into and innocent pedestrian or motorist. Who do you think is going to pay for their actions? WE ARE!!

The police don't care. I've seen this kids speed RIGHT IN FRONT of cops and I'm always awestruck at the cops seeming ambivalence about this problem. The police just do not care. It's very depressing.

A protest might not be a bad idea. This is also upsetting because our inability to solve this problem creates a sense of lawlessness in our neighborhoods, and this impression can have a cascading effect. I was thinking about this last night could we use a drone to follow them back to wherever they store these vehicles and then dispatch police to arrest after they've parked and dismounted? if not, we could at least use the surveilence to obtain a warrant to search the property. I bet with all the noise these things make, and the fact that they have to keep their eyes on the road, they wouldn't even notice. Its either that or we need to set up a trip wire or something. (I'm kidding about this last comment, but it feels that desperate).

So, as you all probably know, in 2013 a coalition of community leaders, alders, city hall managers, and state representatives and senators were able to pass a state law allowing cities such as New Haven to raise the fee for repossessing a confiscated dirt bike/ATV to about $1500 (I forget the exact number but something in that ball park). Other legal options that were considered (based on the experiences of other cities (Philadelphia, Baltimore) trying to get the dirtbikes/ATVs off the streets): banning the sale of gasoline to dirt-bikes/ATVs, banning the sale of dirtbikes/ATVs, banning the ownership of dirtbikes/ATVs, and allowing police to seize any dirtbike/ATV within city limits. With the knowledge that NHPD, in prior years, seized upwards of 200 vehicles a year, but then returned the bikes quickly to their owners after a small fine ($50 or thereabouts) was paid, it seemed that a steep fine to repossess the bike would effectively take the vehicles off the streets without criminalizing the act (no New Haven delegation was going to get behind a law that criminalized juvenile activity).

The effectiveness of the law is a function of police intel and willingness to confiscate. If police have good information then it is a relatively easy (and for the police very satisfying) to bring out a flat bed impound the vehicle. The willingness and ability of neighborhood residents to effectively communicate the location of the vehicles (and their “owners”) has a dramatic effect on the local population of wild ATVs/dirtbikes. My neighborhood (Fair Haven along Front/Quinipiac) has witnessed a very significant reduction in ATV/dirtbike disturbances. Neighbors report and the police confiscate. It’s a simple and beautiful thing.

A helicopter to track and then locate where the ATVs and dirtbikes are housed would probably lead to a dramatic reduction in the population out in the Hill/Newhallville/Dixwell But really, if the neighborhood reports, the bikes should be taken off the street (if the NHPD station chief is on the ball and committed to the cause).

Thanks, this is good info. I think the problem is they are always moving so fast through the neighborhood that unless the police are within a few blocks radius, it is pointless to try to call the non-emergency number, I'll be on hold waiting for a dispatcher to pick up for a minute or two, and by then the riders are long gone. And, as this post points out, even if an officer is in the vacinity of the group while they are actively riding, they don't do anything to stop them, except maybe hit the siren, which, as we know, has no effect; the group scatters off onto various sidestreets at speed, and all that's happened is the peace has been disturbed. What we have here is a group that is effectively untouchable because police can't or won't take more aggressive option to stop their reckless behavior. If these people were driving cars in the same manner, I guarantee there'd be a citywide barricade to stop them (and a lot more injuries and property damange). The risk these riders pose to themselves and others is still significant, in addition to causing a nuisance. I digress... point is, we need more police presence, a greater will to act (justly) on behalf of our law enforcement officers, and a better, more responsive reporting mechanism. Posting it here or waiting on hold for 2 or 3 minutes is ineffective.

^ ....but posting here is effective in one way: we can let each other know just how widespread this issue is. I'm at the other end of New Haven and it's rampant here. These vehicles are doing this city-wide, whether they're illegally roaming onto woods/open space to make their own private playgrounds or whether they're simulating this on congested city streets.

It's absolutely effective. ClickFix posters were the driving force behind the ATV/dirtbike legislation and also pushed for an important open forum on the topic before the Board of Alders safety and traffic committee (which in turn pushed city hall to get behind the legislative effort in Hartford). And know that this is not just a New Haven problem. The dirt bike/ATV bike culture is rampant in many cities throughout the east coast. Go online and you'll find countless videos of kids flying through neighborhoods, complete with police chases and the like. There was even an independent film "12 o clock boys", which received, unfortunately in my opinion, somewhat positive attention from the NY Times. Some see them as rebels against an oppressive urban regime. While others (like myself) just see them as jerks who need to find another outlet for their testosterone.

Well , Yup the police are chumped, But we will see the gang beat down some petite grad students on old one speed jalopy bicycles.

If you know where dirt bikes, quads and ATVs are garaged, report it to the New Haven Police Criminal Intel Unit. The officer in charge is:

Sergeant Karl Jacobson
New Haven Police Department
Criminal Intel Unit/Narcotics
One Union Ave, New Haven CT
phone: (203) 946-6098
Fax: (203) 946-6293
e-mail: kjacobson@newhavenct.net

He will respond to emails and calls. If you report a known ATV or dirt bike location to him, he will investigate and confiscate the machines.

SeeClickFix New Haven Nation, time to make some noise of our own. Spring has sprung and again dirtbikes are flying up and streets, through parks, and on sidewalks, terrorizing the city.

On April 28 (Thursday), give the mayor’s office (203 946-8200) to let her know that it’s time to track down the bikes and confiscate!! More calls equals more action and fewer dirtbikes on the streets!!

SCF Nation, call it in to the Mayor's Office tomorrow (4/28/16): 203 946 8200. Just tell whoever picks up the phone that you have a message for city hall: let's get the bikes off the streets!

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve and as a result a number of historical issues are being closed. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please open as a new See Click Fix issue with updated information and details. Thank you.