BERKELEY -- They may be off-road, but many favorite four-wheeling sites are still off-limits.

Berkeley police have pooled resources with the Ocean County Sheriff's Department and Dover Township Police Department to form an Off-Road Safety Patrol.



MIKE MC LAUGHLIN photo

Berkeley Patrolman Rip Bondulich leads Officer Ken Austin and Sgt. Mike Osborn, both of the Ocean County Sheriff's Department, on a patrol for all-terrain vehicles riding illegally on private property.
Riding all-terrain vehicles of their own, the officers resumed patrols of known off-road sites in Berkeley and Dover over the weekend. Police will be writing summonses for illegal ATV use and, when appropriate, impounding the three- and four-wheel off-road vehicles.

"The riders impact private property and sometimes environmentally sensitive areas," Berkeley Police Chief John Weinlein said. "Some of the areas used by riders butt up against senior citizen communities in Silver Ridge and Holiday City," he said. "We field complaints about noise and, occasionally, property damage."

Weinlein said patrols would be out as much as possible. On one patrol late last fall, the four-man squad impounded 17 off-road vehicles.

Berkeley is one of several Ocean County municipalities cracking down on off-road riders.

"One of the reasons I stopped riding was because there weren't any places you could ride legally," Berkeley Officer Rip Bondulich said.

"In the past year and a half, there has been a significant decline in ATV sales," said Tom Cleary, the general manager of Wheels Motor Sports, South Toms River, and an off-road rider. "There is a small group ruining it for the rest of us.

"Officers from the Sheriff's Department came in for a price quote, and I told them the little money I make on their ATVs, I lose on the people who won't buy them because the police are out chasing them around," Cleary said.

Suburban sprawl is also reducing the number of undeveloped areas where riders don't infringe on home owners and businesses.

"When a customer comes in, the first question I usually get is 'Where can I ride this?' " Cleary said.

The choices of publicaly accessible places to ride are few. It's either The New Jersey Off-Road Vehicle Park in Chatsworth, Burlington County, or illegally.

The New Jersey Off-Road Vehicle Park is a 250-acre site open to motorcycles and other off-road vehicles. Memberships are offered for between $75 and $300, depending on the age of the rider. A day pass can be purchased for $50 on weekends and holidays.

The Berkeley ordinance allows impounded vehicles to be held until after court disposition, with fines of $500 and $1,000 possible. Bondulich said state law prohibits riding on private property without the written permission of the property owner. Summonses will be written for equipment violations and uninsured vehicles as well.

At a favorite riding spot in a former gravel pit west of Route 9 known locally as the WOBM pit, Bondulich said he has seen as many as 50 riders there.

Sheriff's Officer Pat McIntyre said, "The problem is they build fires and sometimes leave beer cans and beer bottles laying around."

Sheriff's Officer Ken Austin said, "There are instances where there is underaged drinking as well."

The Sheriff's Department has two Honda 350 Ranchers. Berkeley has one Polaris 400 and wants to purchase others after the township budget is passed. Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Osborn said his department offers aid as part of the Safe Life Program.

"Our officers will go to any municipality that requests us," Osborn said. "So far only Berkeley and Dover townships have requested our help."

Bondulich said the old Central Railroad line is also a favorite riding spot. Osborn said riders have also been seen in the outer reaches of the county-owned Robert J. Miller Airpark.

"We want to take a proactive approach," Weinlein said. "The problem has worsened in some areas, and we are patrolling areas where there is perceived to be problem riders."

Weinlein admitted the patrols are costly. Bondulich is paid overtime with each patrol, and Cleary said the vehicles, know as "quads," can cost as much as $6,000.

Weinlein said signs will be posted around the township telling off-road riders they are subject to fines.

Joe Zedalis: (732) 557-5735 or joeze@app.com

 

man that really suck,if you ever get pulled over ask them to see their written permisson to be on the land your riding..