By Jeff Munson
-
Two dirt bikes were added to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office motor patrol division. -
The dirt bikes will be used to patrol areas prone to illegal dumping, OHV use in restricted areas around Carson City. -
Motor patrol officers are L to R: Deputy Thomas Miller, Deputy Derrick Kepler, Deputy Joey Trotter and Deputy Matt Smith.
After years of relative non-enforcement and mounting concerns of vandalism, trash dumping and illegal off road riding on public land designated as open space and not for motorized use, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office will step up patrol of the Prison Hill Recreation Area south to Fifth Street.
At this month’s meeting of the Carson City Open Space Committee, board members agreed to urge the Board of Supervisors to send a letter to the BLM that would convey concerns related to management and stewardship of the Prison Hill Recreation Area and Silver Saddle Ranch.
The sheriff’s office, which receives around $12,000 annually from the BLM and the Forest Service for cooperative enforcement of nearby public lands, will patrol the area on two specially-equipped dirt bikes.
Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said the enforcement of the area will be a public education campaign, with citations given for those who are caught dumping trash or vandalizing property. OHV riders who are caught riding in the restricted areas will be informed of the existing laws and told to leave the trails, said Furlong.
The goal is to inform the public of the no riding areas and to remind them of the OHV registration requirements.
There are designated trails for OHV motorized use established on the Prison Hill Area that are clearly marked as designated OHV trails. Access is located at the southern end of Prison Hill off of Golden Eagle Lane.
The motor patrol officers will use the dirt bikes on the trails as part of the public awareness campaign, looking for illegal OHV riders, trash dumpers and vandals.
“We want to start a public education profess to inform our OHV riders where they can and cannot ride,” said Furlong. “There are areas of Prison Hill designated as an OHV area only. It is the only place where OHV vehicles are allowed.”
The BLM property in question is in the process of being acquired to Carson City in a land transfer agreement that may be completed sometime this summer.
All OHV users are required to register their vehicles in the state of Nevada as of July 1, 2012. Part of the stepped up enforcement of Prison Hill will be to also check on current OHV registrations, said Sgt. Scott McDaniel.
The two dirt bikes are TMN 500 XC-Ws and were acquired at a cost of $10,000. Aside from the two dirt bikes, the sheriff’s office acquired a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle last year, won in a competition by Deputy Joey Trotter. For more information on the Carson City Sheriff’s Office motor patrol program, go here.
