A police chase ended with a dirt bike crashing on the streets of Cleveland Saturday.
The illegal dirt bike was chased by the police department's newest unit and newest tool.
The dirt bike is what the Cleveland Police Department calls a multi-purpose off-road vehicle. An officer was riding one on Saturday while pursuing illegal dirt bikes.
One of those illegal dirt bikes wiped out at East 147 Street and Miles Avenue. The rider suffered minor injuries.
Several more dirt bikes were stopped, and the drivers were cited due to the city's new dirt bike enforcement unit. Police are cracking down on illegal dirt bikes that are not properly licensed or equipped to be on city streets.
“We’ll be able to pursue them with these vehicles," said James Muhic with the Cleveland Police Department’s traffic commission. "My officers will go down railroad tracks, upstairs, wherever you want to go we’re going to go with you."
A city policy prevents patrol cars from chasing dirt bikes and ATV's, but the new police bikes are not given this restriction, helping police issue citations, arrest riders or even confiscate dirt bikes and ATV's.
Right now the Cleveland Police Department has three multi-purpose off-road bikes. The department plans to get three more next year.
