We’re finally arresting the dirtbike gangs. And that’s a good thing.

Whether you’ve been on the Embarcadero, in Chinatown, SoMa, or elsewhere on a weekend night, you’ve maybe seen it: dirt bikes and ATVs roaring through intersections, swarming streets (at times in the hundreds), ignoring traffic laws, terrifying pedestrians, and leaving merchants exasperated. These street takeovers have become one of those very visible quality of life problems that make San Franciscans feel disorderly - like the city has lost control of our public spaces.

Similar to bipping (smash and grabs) and retail theft, the dirt bikers have been a notoriously frustrating nuisance for law enforcement agencies. It is difficult to intervene when these packs of riders converge, diverge, and re-converge seemingly at random throughout the city. They move fast, erratically, and often outnumber the officers attempting to stop them. 

Through Covid and into our recovery, we’ve seen problems across the city with sideshows, dangerous behavior, and threats to pedestrian safety from cars, dirtbikes, and ATVs alike.SFPD created the Stunt Driving Response Unit in 2021, a specialized taskforce across SFPD meant to address these rampant challenges, but the unit lacked the adequate tools and resources to adequately respond to problems and in a timely manner.

But we are starting to see how voter-approved tools are starting to work exactly as we’d hoped when we voted on them. Recently, SFPD made four arrests related to stunt driving, seized six dirt bikes and an ATV, and uncovered that four of the bikes had been stolen from as far away as Modesto, Yuba City, and Grass Valley. This wasn’t luck—it was voter-approved technology at work.

The arrests were made possible by drones and automated license plate readers. These tools give SFPD the ability to act quickly and effectively at a time when the department is still short-staffed. And the only reason these tools are available is because voters passed Prop E in March 2024, allowing the department to expand its use of technology. Since then, license plate readers have gone up at 100 intersections, drones have led to the arrest of auto burglars, and perhaps most importantly, the Real Time Investigation Center has come online, a 24/7 hub staffed by analysts who monitor cameras, drones, and plate readers, which has already assisted in more than 500 arrests and contributed to a 20% drop in overall crime compared to last year—including a 42% decline in car thefts. 

Crime is decreasing because we are finally enforcing the law again in San Francisco. We are investing in the infrastructure to address crime as it happens, and we have a District Attorney in Brooke Jenkins who will actually charge criminals commensurate with the crimes they commit. We still have work to do in ensuring that, when a case is brought forth, those who commit crimes are held accountable.

The results speak for themselves, but maybe the best proof that this approach is working is who’s complaining: the dirt bikers themselves. They’re upset about being tracked and caught by police efforts. And they should be. These aren’t harmless thrill rides—they’re stolen vehicles, reckless behavior, and dangerous conditions for residents and businesses. Technology is supposed to keep those committing crimes on edge - and on this front, we are succeeding.

The recent arrests were proof that when San Franciscans vote for pragmatic reforms—like Prop E—the city gets safer. Prop E didn’t just pass; it delivered. And if we want to keep tackling the kind of chaos that undermines daily life here, we need to keep building on that foundation.