Baltimore Police make enforcement push against illegal scooter activity

BALTIMORE — Baltimore Police launched a citywide initiative last month focusing on unregistered motorized scooters due to increased traffic violations and crime involving illegal ones, the department said.

Unregistered vehicles such as mopeds, minibikes and all-terrain vehicles have been targeted to a greater extent by Baltimore Police since mid-September, according to a Friday news release. Some of the offenders have been driving in bus lanes or on sidewalks, speeding through traffic, or parking illegally.

“Our first goal was to provide education,” said Lindsey Eldridge, a police department spokesperson. “There are many people that didn’t know that scooters needed licenses and needed to be registered.”

Under the enforcement policy, fines vary based on the type of citation, but, for example, unregistered vehicles get $290, said Sgt. Steve Henson, lead officer on the initiative.

If someone is driving without a license or the vehicle is uninsured, they must appear in court, Henson said. Repeat offenders get cited again, but it’s up to the courts as to what type of penalty they’ll land.

So far during the initiative, BPD’s motors and Inner Harbor units issued 42 traffic citations and towed 25 scooters lacking proper registration, licenses or insurance.

Ahead of the initiative, officers started providing warnings and educational materials to scooter operators.

Baltimore Police are currently investigating 19 reported incidents of scooter-related robberies and carjackings, and two people have been arrested this year in connection with scooter-related robberies, according the release. BPD could not provide comparative numbers for previous years, but Eldridge said anecdotally, the department has seen a rise in scooter incidents.

Commissioner Richard Worley said in the release that the initiative is part of the ongoing traffic enforcement strategy that started in March, including enhanced patrolling, more traffic stops specifically for traffic violations and sobriety checkpoints.

“It is concerning to see scooters maneuvering recklessly in traffic, operating without proper registration and equipment, and being involved in criminal activities as both victims and suspects,” Worley added.”

In addition, police and prosecutors issued a reminder in April that riding dirt bikes and selling fuel for dirt bikes within Baltimore’s city limits is prohibited.

In a joint statement with the State’s Attorney’s Office, BPD will look to charge the parents or guardians of children found illegally riding or storing dirt bikes.

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