via Shutterstock

The Metropolitan Police Department has released nearly 250 photos of people who were caught driving dirt bikes and ATVs on D.C.’s streets and is asking for the public’s help in identifying them.

Not only do drivers of these types of vehicles present harm to pedestrians and other drivers, they’re also committing a crime, MPD said in a release. The offense for operating a dirt bike or ATV is a misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.

Although the vehicles have been a source of contention for years—particularly in the summer when ridership spikes—there was renewed attention given to them last year in the wake of several high-profile incidents, notably the shooting of a local journalist in May by someone who was allegedly on a dirt bike.

In June, the D.C. police union released a frustrated statement arguing that their efforts to catch riders have been thwarted by the attorney general’s office and the justice system. When suspects are arrested, the letter said, “the OAG and D.C. Superior Court Judges have not been enforcing penalties that are strict enough to deter this behavior.”

And the following month, Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie introduced a bill to increase the penalties for those caught with the vehicles, saying the legislation was a result of “the overwhelming amount of complaints he has received from District residents and police officers.”

This year, two incidents include about 30 ATV riders preventing an ambulance from transporting a sick child and a D.C. police officer being hit by a group of ATV riders.

MPD is now offering a $250 reward for information on each of the 245 persons of interest who are identified. The tip must lead to a successful confiscation. The department is also requesting information about where the vehicles are being stored.

Filed Under: atvs, dirt bikes, mpd, police,