Mayor Domenic Sarno was joined by Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers, Ward 5 City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce and Deputy Chief David Martin to talk about the ways they are getting illegal dirt bikes off the streets at a press conference in late March.
Reminder Publishing photo by Ryan Feyre
SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke, Chicopee, Ludlow and Springfield have joined forces with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department to continue pushing a “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to illegal dirt bikes and ATVs.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno joined local police officers, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau and Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi on the Springfield City Hall steps to announce a “coordinated effort” to stop what Sarno says are “marauders” putting themselves and the community at harm.
During the April 14 conference, Sarno said he hopes the Springfield City Council will soon pass a home rule petition in support of statewide legislation that would allow seizure and forfeiture of dirt bikes after the first serious offense.
The legislation, filed by state Rep. Orlando Ramos (D-Springfield) earlier this decade, would allow cities to destroy all confiscated vehicles.
“We’re going to send a message,” Sarno said, sledgehammer in hand. “If we get this legislation passed, the mayors and I will be the first one to take this sledgehammer to those dirt bikes.”
City officials say this legislation is important because as of right now, any illegal dirt bike that is seized by the city must be put on hold, and in many cases, put back out for auction. When that happens, the Sarno says the same culprits are buying the dirt bikes back.
“This bill needs to see a second reading this legislative cycle,” Cocchi said, during the press conference. “It has to be voted in by the House and Senate and signed off by the governor. That’s the way the mayors and the police chiefs and the State Police are going to be able to destroy these vehicles. It’s that simple.”
The city of Springfield reported that past efforts to curb this activity led to a decrease in dirt bike seizures and arrests between 2023 and 2024. According to Sarno, 53 illegal dirt bikes were seized by the city in 2023, compared to 39 in 2024.
Meanwhile, 26 arrests were made in 2023, compared to 14 in 2024.
Despite the downward trend in seizures and arrests, Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers told the public that his office is still flooded with complaints of illegal dirt bikes on the roadways “creating havoc.”
Instead of confronting the bikers by themselves, Akers urged the public to call the Police Department, whether that is through the department’s non-emergency number, 311 or the traffic bureau.
“We have to get together in order to do something about this,” said Akers, regarding the partnership with other communities. “Because if we don’t work together, there’s no way we’re going to solve these crimes out here with these illegal dirt bikes.”
Garcia touched on the “incredible strategic coordination happening in the region” to de-escalate the issue of illegal bikes. He said that there are strong partnerships between each community’s law enforcement and added that Holyoke is ready to tackle this issue. “For anybody that plans to engage in this illegal activity, understand, you ain’t going to get away with it,” Garcia said.
Vieau explained that the illegal dirt bike issue is a statewide and nationwide problem that continues to wreak havoc on citizens.
“Certainly, something has to be done,” Vieau said. “It’s not just a Chicopee no tolerance; it’s a no-tolerance; period.”
At a prior press conference in Springfield’s Greenleaf Community Center, Sarno said police would take “tactical approaches” to stop the activity, but did not disclose what those were.
Springfield Deputy Chief David Martin said in late March that the Police Department has been deploying officers all across the city for the past four-and-a-half years to monitor illegal dirt bike activity.
Martin added that dirt bikers and ATV riders can call the environmental police to find locations where they can ride their motor vehicles legally.
None of those locations will be on city streets, according to officials and police officers.
“We’ll use the same techniques that we’ve used to combat guns and drugs because it’s just as much of a problem,” said Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan. “There’s places in Western Massachusetts where you can legally ride these bikes and ATVs. We encourage you to do so. But our city streets aren’t the place for that.”
