EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Egg Harbor Township police are preparing to deploy a new tool in their effort to combat illegal ATVs and dirt bikes on township roads: drones.
Operations Commander Capt. Cherie Bergen revealed the department's plans during an appearance Wednesday on The Lorry Young Show on WOND, saying the technology could allow police to track riders without creating the dangers associated with a traditional vehicle pursuit.
“One of our biggest issues that we have with the quads, they are not legally allowed on the roadways,” Bergen said.
But catching riders presents a significant challenge.
“The problem is if you were to look up New Jersey vehicle pursuit law, we can't pursue them because it's too dangerous,” Bergen said. “It's too dangerous for the officers, too dangerous for the people that are on them.”
That's where the department's new drone program could come in.
“Egg Harbor Township is actually going to be implementing a drone unit soon,” Bergen said. “Our first drone is underway.”
Bergen said drones could provide police with another way of locating riders who flee.
“We don't have to necessarily chase in a car, but we can actually put the drone up and we can figure out how to catch people that way,” Bergen said.
‘They Are Not Allowed to Do Whatever They Want’
Traffic Safety Unit Coordinator Sgt. Edward Stearns said the department does encounter ATVs, dirt bikes and other off-road vehicles operating illegally on public roads.
Police have to weigh catching a rider against the potential danger a pursuit could create.
“The biggest issue is, again, just the safety of not just us and those on those bikes,” Stearns said. “We have to look at everybody.”
Stearns said some riders appear to believe police pursuit restrictions give them free rein on public streets.
“They get on the road and they think that because we can't chase them that they are allowed to do whatever it is they want,” Stearns said.
That isn't the case.
“They still have to look at the people around them and know, like, ‘Hey, this is dangerous and probably shouldn't be doing this,’” Stearns said. “But trying to hold them accountable is a whole other story.”
Bergen said police can apprehend riders when circumstances allow them to do so safely, but officers must also operate within New Jersey's use-of-force and pursuit restrictions.
“If we can, then yes,” Bergen said when asked whether police can apprehend a rider who stops.
Another complication is determining whether the vehicle is stolen.
“We wouldn't necessarily know that they were stolen until we were to run” the identifying information, Bergen said. “We have to assume that the person actually owns it.”
$500 Fine, Seven-Day Hold
Egg Harbor Township does have significant consequences when police successfully recover one of the illegal vehicles.
Bergen said an ATV or dirt bike rider who wants a seized vehicle returned faces a $500 township fine, along with towing and storage costs.
“We hold onto the bike for at least seven days,” Bergen said. “They have to pay all those storage fees.”
The person must also prove ownership and meet insurance requirements before the vehicle is released.
“So there's at least, if we do get one, we are kind of penalizing them in a sense prior to court if they do want this back,” Bergen said.
In some cases, she said, owners never retrieve the vehicles.
“A lot of the times they just end up in a tow lot,” Bergen said.
Stearns said riders must meet all of the applicable requirements before a vehicle is returned.
“They have to meet every single qualification,” he said.
That includes proper registration and insurance, appropriate licensing, required lighting and a helmet.
But even meeting those requirements does not make an ATV legal to ride on a public street.
“Obviously they're not allowed on public roadways,” Stearns said. “They are allowed to ride on private property.”
“On the road is where we see them the most,” he added, “is where it's the most dangerous.”
The drone unit could now give Egg Harbor Township police another way to address that problem without placing officers, riders or other motorists in the middle of a potentially dangerous chase.
For Bergen, the goal is finding a safer way to catch those who refuse to stop.
“We can actually put the drone up,” Bergen said, “and we can figure out how to catch people that way.”
About the Author
Peter Killeen
A 25-year radio news veteran, Peter covers South Jersey for NewsTalk 1400 & 92.3 WOND radio. Known for his concise and impactful delivery, he ensures listeners and readers stay informed without unnecessary filler.
