Dover Police Release Public Service Announcement Regarding New City Ordinance For Off-Highway Vehicles

The Dover Police Department is providing the following Public Service Announcement regarding the newly adopted City of Dover Ordinance regarding off-highway vehicles. Please take a moment to watch this short video from Chief Thomas Johnson Jr. (Transcript below)

TRANSCRIPT

Hey Dover, Tom Johnson, I’m the Chief of Police, City of Dover Police Department. I want to talk to you today about off road vehicles, dirt bikes, quads, and the dangers that they present to the community when they’re out in traffic. It’s a constant problem all over America. Dover is no different, and we’re trying to make things safer. We’re trying to make things better for everybody’s quality of life. Dover City Council just recently passed an ordinance outlawing these vehicles on City streets and on public property. This is a heads up to anybody that might enjoy their motorcycle, enjoy their four-wheeler, they have an off-road vehicle. You can’t have it on city streets. It’s too dangerous, too many bad things can happen; people get hurt. An ordinance was passed that has very heavy fines for anybody caught riding one of these things, moving through the city on one of these things, letting your friend, letting your child, whatever the case may be, 1000s of dollars will be coming your way in fines and court costs if the Dover Police catch you on the streets or on public property in an off-highway vehicle. This is a warning. This is a heads up. We don’t want to be confiscating people’s private property. We don’t want to be enforcing this ordinance unless we have to. So please confine your activities to the places that are designed for dirt bikes, that are designed for four-wheelers, and not on city streets where, inevitably there’s a tragedy, somebody gets hurt. We want to give you the heads up. Enforcement is coming soon. Stay safe, enjoy your recreation, but we need to do it responsibly. Thanks for listening.”

On July 8, 2024, Dover City Council revised Chapter 106 – Traffic and Vehicles, Article 1 – In General, Section 106-14.  This local law relates to “off-road or off-highway” motor vehicle regulations.  In short, it is a ban on dirt bikes, ATVs, Quads, and other motorized vehicles that are not “street” legal or compliant to the vehicle code for use on public traffic ways.  This written release and video announcement is designed to offer reasonable notice to owners of such vehicles so they might avoid fines and confiscation of their OHV/ORV. The community can expect investigations and enforcement to begin with the arrival of Labor Day weekend and the end of the summer travel season.  Confiscated OHV/ORV’s will be converted to revenues reserved for use in support of victims of violent crime or tragic events.  There is no connection between the Police Department Budget and any enforcement decision or action.  Questions can be directed to Master Corporal Ryan Schmid, Public Information Officer for the Dover Police Department.