PARTNERS IN THIS REGIONAL
EFFORT.
(KK)
TONIGHT
RHODE ISLAND'S TWO LARGEST
CITIES ANNOUNCE A PLAN TO COMBAT
OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
(HE)
THE MAYOR'S OF CRANSTON AND
PROVIDENCE ANNOUNCING A NEW TASK
FORCE.
SAYING SCENE LIKE THESE HAPPEN
ALL TOO OFTEN AND RISK PUBLIC
SAFETY.
(KK)
12 NEWS REPORTER BRANDON TRUITT
WAS AT TODAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE.
HE'S LIVE IN PROVIDENCE WITH HOW
BRANDON?
THE TWO MAYORS MET HERE -- ON
THE PROVIDENCE / CRANSTON LINE.
POLITICALLY -- MAYOR KEN HOPKINS
AND JORGE ELORZA COULD NOT BE
MORE DIFFERENT.
BUT THERE IS A SHARED CONCERN
OVER THIS ISSUE -- AND HOW TO
STOP IT.
"there has been some horrific,
reckless, lawless activity that
we simply cannot tolerate."
LEADERS IN PROVIDENCE AND
CRANSTON SAY --- THAT'S WHAT
THIS COMES DOWN TO.
YOU'VE LIKELY SEEN IMAGES JUST
LIKE THESE --
DOZENS -- IF NOT HUNDREDS -- OF
OFF-ROAD VEHICLES TAKING OVER
CITY STREETS.
"many of our residents,
rightfully so, are fed-up and
fearful of people struck."
"our phones ring off the hook
certain neighborhoods."
SO TODAY -- A NEW INITIATIVE.
THE "ATV / DIRT BIKE TASK
FORCE."
THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF BOTH
CITIES WILL SHARE INTELLIGENCE,
PHYSICAL RESOURCES AND
PERSONNEL.
OFFERED TO HELP TOO.
THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THE BIKES
OFF THE STREET --- AND
CONFISCATE THE ONES THAT DON'T
FOLLOW THE LAW.
SAYS MORE CITIES ARE LOOKING TO
JOIN THIS INITIATIVE.
IN THE MEANTIME -- THEY'RE
EXPANDING THEIR SEARCH.
"looking at gas stations,
looking at sellers, and looking
at the owners of these
vehicles."
EFFORT TO AVOID SOMETHING LIKE
THIS.
LAST YEAR'S MOPED CRASH
INVOLVING JHAMAL GONSALVES --
WHO'S STILL RECOVERING.
PROVIDENCE'S POLICE CHIEF SAYING
MANY OF THESE OFF-ROAD VEHICLES
ARE UNREGISTERED.
MAKING THEM UNLAWFUL.
"let it be known there are a lot
of law-abiding bike riders and
we are good with that."
ORGANIZERS OF RIDING GROUPS ARE
ASKING FOR DESIGNATED RIDING
SPACES.
MAYOR JORGE ELORZA IS TRYING TO
GET A STATEWIDE REGISTRATION
SYSTEM FOR BIKES -- PASSED AT
THE STATEHOUSE.
HIS TEAM TELLS ME -- NO BILL HAS
BEEN DRAFTED OR SPONSORED.
TAUNTON, FALL RIVER, SOMERSET
AND SWANSEA.
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THE LATEST NOW ---
..ON EFFORTS TO KEEP ILLEGAL
A-T-VS OFF THE STREETS.
RHODE ISLAND'S TWO LARGEST
CITIES ARE NOW WORKING TOGETHER.
THEY'RE TEAMING UP ON A TASK
FORCE, TO PREVENT INCIDENTS LIKE
THESE.
12 NEWS REPORTER BRANDON TRUITT
IS LIVE ON THE PROVIDENCE
CRANSTON LINE--
WHERE BOTH MAYORS MET TODAY.
(BT)
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS IN
PROVIDENCE AND CRANSTON CALL
THIS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST PUBLIC
SAFETY CONCERNS.
TONIGHT -- A NEW TASK FORCE
AIMING TO GET AHEAD OF THIS
PROBLEM BEFORE THE WEATHER WARMS
UP.
"Many of our residents,
rightfully so, are fed-up and
fearful of people struck."
IT'S A PROBLEM PLAGUING TWO
CITIES.
"our phones ring off the hook
when they are out there in
certain neighborhoods."
OFF-ROAD VEHILCES --- NOT
STAYING OFF THE ROAD.
TRAVELING IN GROUPS LIKE THESE
-- TAKING OVER SIDEWALKS AND
STREETS.
reckless, lawless activity that
we simply cannot tolerate."
THAT'S WHY PROVIDENCE AND
CRANSTON LEADERS ANNOUNCED THIS.
A NEW ATV / DIRT BIKE TASK
FORCE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF BOTH
CITIES WILL SHARE INTELLIGENCE,
PHYSICAL RESOURCES AND
PERSONNEL.
RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE HAVE
OFFERED TO HELP TOO.
THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THE BIKES
OFF THE STREET --- AND
CONFISCATE THE ONES THAT DON'T
"If it's in providence and it's
in cranston, it's going to take
a collaborative effort to do
this."
MAYOR JORGE ELORZA SAYING OTHER
CITIES HAVE REACHED OUT --
WANTING TO JOIN-IN.
IN THE MEANTIME -- THEY'RE
WIDENING THEIR SEARCH.
"Looking at gas stations,
looking at sellers, and looking
at the owners of these
vehicles."
THE MAYOR -- INTERUPTED FOR A
TIME. BIKER ADVOCATES SAYING
THEY WANT DESIGNATED RIDING
SPACES. LIKE HERE AT COLLIER
PARK.
THE MAYOR SAYS IT'S NOT OFF THE
TABLE -- BUT WANTS UNREGISTERED
VEHICLES -- OFF THE STREET.
(BT)
CRANSTON MAYOR KEN HOPKINS
ANNOUNCED THE BIKES THEY SIEZE
-- WILL GO TO THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC.
PART OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH A
POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE.
PROVIDENCE HAS ALREADY COLLECTED
HUNDREDS OF BIKES -- AND IS
CONSIDERING A SIMILAR OPTION.
LIVE IN PROVIDENCE BRANDON