Burden On Law Enforcement

The investigative arm of Congress issued its first review of ORV management in over a decade in June 2009 and found widespread habitat damage from reckless riding, mounting enforcement challenges and evidence of conflicts with other users. Their survey of federal land managers from across the country found:

• ORV damage has occurred on almost 20% of federal lands and in some areas as much as 80%. 20% of federal lands is roughly the size of California.

• Conflicts are occurring with other trail users, private land owners, and irresponsible ORV users.

• Enforcement is the top challenge to ORV management.

• Current penalties do not deter reckless riding.

• A majority of land managers said they cannot sustainably manage ORVs, citing lack of human and financial resources.

The GAO recommended implementing better planning at BLM and USFS, enhancing communication with the public though user-friendly maps and trail signs, and examining current penalty structures. To view the full report, please click here. 

According to the National Association of Counties, local and county law enforcement officials are increasingly spending their time dealing with off-road vehicle-related issues. These reckless riders are putting a burden on our law enforcement officers, who aren't given the resources to keep up with the increasing amount of irresponsible and illegal behavior, and the riders are sticking taxpayers with the bill.

A Growing Number of Reckless Riders Are Imposing a Burden on Law Enforcement

In June 2007, a coalition of former public lands law enforcement officials and managers called Rangers for Responsible Recreation identified reckless off-roading as the single greatest threat to public lands in large part due to the law enforcement burden caused by the behavior.

Reckless riding consumes the time of law enforcement officers (LEOs).

• For example, in the Intermountain Region (Idaho (prt), Nevada and Utah) Forest Service LEOs spent 7,400 hours in FY 2005 addressing motorized vehicle incidents - ranking it the 3rd most time consuming activity out of 28 categories, including fires, assaults and search and rescue operations.

• In FY 2006, LEOs in the Eastern Region spent 8,700 hours addressing motorized vehicle incidents - ranking it the 4th most time consuming activity of the year.

The following example from the Forest Service's weekly law enforcement report for April 29 - May 5, 2007 describes events at an annual ORV jamboree at Little Sahara Recreation Area in Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune recently reported on the incident:

"Little Sahara Recreation Area, UT - Over 50 law enforcement officers from several agencies were assigned to the Little Sahara Recreation Area (LSRA) over the Easter weekend. Approximately 35,000 visitors were located within the LSRA administrative unit. Officers were faced with near riot conditions on two separate nights involving approximately 1,000 people which required all available officers and over 5 hours to mitigate the situation; approximately 200 people were ejected from the main hill area and several were arrested when they returned. Groups of partiers were blocking an area and forcing women to bare their breasts in order to leave, along with numerous incidents of unwanted fondling of women. When law enforcement officers took action, the crowd became unruly, throwing objects at the officers. A Utah HP Officer was struck in the head and sustained minor injuries. Medical assistance was rendered on 37 incidents. Over 300 incidents resulted in arrests and/or citations."

Retired U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) Refuge Officer Ron Kearns, who lives south of Quartzsite, Arizona near the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and owns an ATV himself recently summarized the problem with reckless riders in the following way:

• Living so close to the refuge, Kearns said he often spots off-road enthusiasts of all ages riding their ATVs without regard to safety or the preservation of the landscape around them: "I see it every day." (http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/192049)

• Kearns stressed how he wants to stop the growing minority of reckless and illegal riders, not law-abiding riders:"I always like to say we don't want to outlaw the ATVs, we want to outlaw the outlaws." (http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/93731)

• Christian Science Monitor: Off-road vehicles rev up controversy in public lands
• Huntington Herald: Fines a positive step
• Nevada Appeal: Group calls off-road recreation a threat to public lands
• Salt Lake Tribune: Rowdy OHV crowd alleged
• The Valley Chronicle: Sheriff cracks down on off-road vehicles

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