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Palmdale Sheriff’s Station applying for OHV grant, seeking public input

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Palmdale OHV team
Active since 2000, the local OHV team now includes one lieutenant, four sergeants and nine full-time deputies. [Image courtesy LASD]
PALMDALE – The Palmdale Sheriff’s Station is applying for a grant through California State Parks to fund its off-highway vehicle (OHV) enforcement team.

The process includes a 30-day period to allow the public to review and comment on the preliminary grant application submitted to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division.

The Palmdale Sheriff’s Station is encouraging residents to view the grant application and submit comments and questions. The 2016 application can be viewed here.

Comments on the application must be received between March 8 and April 4. The public may provide comments to both the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division by emailing lasdohv@lasd.org and carbon copying OHVinfo@parks.ca.gov.

About the local Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement Team

The local Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) enforcement team patrols Palmdale, Lancaster and all unincorporated county areas. Its largest area of responsibility lies in rural towns, including Acton, Agua Dulce, Antelope Acres, Leona Valley, Elizabeth Lake, Lake Hughes, Littlerock, Pearblossom, Llano, Lake Los Angeles and Wrightwood. These townships make up over 1,100 square miles of rural desert and mountain areas.

Active since 2000, the local OHV team now includes one lieutenant, four sergeants and nine full-time deputies. The OHV team deploys on various weekends and holidays and is required to handle OHV complaints, which are called in by the public to the Palmdale and Lancaster stations or to the County Supervisor’s Office.

In 2015, the team handled 636 OHV-related calls for service, according to the grant application.

The grant period for 2014-2015 resulted in 113 citations, 242 warnings, five felony arrests, 12 misdemeanor arrests and 17 towed/recovered stolen vehicles, the grant application states. The team was also tasked with resolving a dispute between three neighbors regarding illegal off-road motorcycle riding in a rural area next to the Angeles National Forest. It resulted in a six-count misdemeanor criminal filing on the disturbing party and the seizure of the illegal motorcycle.

The team also conducted patrols on July 4 to quell illegal firework activity.

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Previous related story: Reminder: No ATV riding in Acton, Agua Dulce

53 comments for "Palmdale Sheriff’s Station applying for OHV grant, seeking public input"

  1. Don’t do it ..it’s a scam. They need to work the streets clean this place up !!

  2. I got a better idea! Why don’t you guys give the money as a reward for outstanding ATV riders like ourselves for reporting any criminal activity we see while we’re out riding, for example: That ATV rider who spotted a guy who was shot and left for dead out in the desert for 2 days in Lancaster, he was a victim of a carjacking and the suspects shot him. Luckily he survived because an ATV rider saw him and immediately called 911.

    Reference: https://www.theavtimes.com/2012/03/06/21-year-old-palmdale-man-shot-carjacked/

  3. What a waste of money and resources.
    Open more places to ride. It’s good family fun.

  4. The problem is, This area of California has too many Local, and state governments, utility companies, and private citizens who buy up large chunks of land they are not using and then expect our deputies to enforce all the places you can’t ride an ATV or motorcycle. I would not even bother to buy an off road vehicle and use it here unless I planned to drive a few hundred miles away to ride. But I vote NO on the Fun Police.

  5. I live in Anaverde Hills and hike, mountain bike, and run the hills all the way to Acton daily. I know these off road trails really well. I cannot emphasize how important it is to have officers patrol these areas because believe me when I say there are many illegal activities going on in these areas that directly affect all inner city areas. For example, Illegal shooting, growing drugs, and other illegal activities.

    For example, I was walking my dogs and was shot at by two male individuals with small caliber rifles just yesterday. Scary stuff considering there was a elementary school only a quarter of a block behind me. They were very close to the main road as well and could have easily hit a passing driver.

    We should support our criminal justice system more objectively and take more time to understand not only what is needed but how, when, and where it is implemented.

    • I live rural out here in the middle of the [removed] of the heart of the antelope valley. But first I must warn you: what I am about the reveal may turn the fallacy of your sheepish world upside down, it just might tear the walls of your mind apart to the point where you worthless, pea brained hominids actually just might get off your [removed] and do something about it: in the state of California it is illegal to start an un-plated off road vehicle anywhere not designated OHV area. But it is legal to drive your POS ford diesel that leaks like the god damned Valdez oil spill all the way up littlerock creek into littlerock dam till it’s has a nice sheen oil slick that has all of the colors of the rainbow. And Palmdale your drinking that water right now. Of course R Rex Parris has blessed it with his pimped out rings by the time it gets to fin and feather so don’t worry too much about it.
      First person experience with OHV sheriffs:
      I have had my dirtbike in my front [removed] driveway and I’ve gotten a ticket for criminal trespass on BLM land before by these idiots–on the gravel in my driveway. Now when you get a trespassing offense you get to muscle into the actual demeaning courtroom with the finest and greatest that the R Rex Parris Permanent Welfare Program aka “Lancaster” has to offer. But first you have all have to wait for the translator to come in and instruct the panel containing my beloved Catholic brethren that you are not allowed to drive an automobile without a valid drivers license. These [removed] give me a ticket that the court house clerk can’t even find because it’s so obscure. Now, in order to get this ordeal taken care of I have to take my bike all the way to the chp office to have it inspected.
      CHP Inspection:
      Now I really don’t see how a 19 year old female, plain clothes, unbadged, chp trainee that supposedly runs the dispatch on weekends is knowledgeable enough to inspect a GREEN STICKERED dirt bike, evidently not knowledgable enough to know the difference between a stock exhaust pipe and an fmf super short track pipe that is about the size of a beer can that has the words “not for OHV use” stamped on it. Long story short, she looks at it for about 15 seconds and scribbles some chicken scratch on it accompanied by the CHP ink stamp and all of the sudden, I have been deemed instantly legal by the LA County. Mind you not one thing was changed on the bike. The only thing that has really changed is that now when I go riding I come flying out of the gate like I was [removed] batman going to meet commissioner gorden with a hot lead on some [removed].
      Now this is just one of many accumulated experiences from me. I could go on and on all day with this but what would it prove? Do you really think these [removed] even write enough tickets to generate enough revenue to even pay for the maintenance on those [removed] DRZ 400’s and all that gear? Not to mention they work only on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, from 7 am to 4 pm. Now, How do I know this? Because I struck up a conversation and befriended these blood sucking [removed] while they accosted me into “custody” and the statement came right out of the officers mouth that cited me after he unlocked the cuffs and shook my hand. Now who the [removed] is out in the desert riding around engaged in criminal activity? Not criminals, people that make enough money to pay their [removed] taxes and have a [removed] hobby. People that make enough money to pay some trumped up ticket from the state of California. And FYI: those cops riding around all weekend and getting paid overtime to extort money from the relatively honest portion of the antelope valley populace. Maybe if they would of been on the streets where the should be in the first place they could prevent crimes like that 300 pound [removed] that raped those 15 year old girls in Lancaster few months back. Or that bug eyed pimp that stole one his girls infant children that he put in a shed in an attempt to hide it. Or any of the other truly criminal acts that occur in the antelope valley that are down played to the point that you accept it.
      Some advice:
      Now, after all of that, if you think they are exclusively out there to protect the desert and you walking your dog and protect you from “people growing drugs”(and 99.9% of the time people don’t “grow drugs” in the middle of the desert floor) as you put it you are a doomed feeble minded imbecile. Unfortunately, you are unaware that you reside inside of the anus that is known as LA County. This is where the REAL criminals come to hide. This is the land that the LA county jail system flushes from its bowels upon. And most recently This is a rampant haven for cartel activity and drug distribution. Too many gardeners with 60,000 dollar trucks and 125,000$ ponies for it to be a fluke. Not to mention half of Ana verde is section 8 housing. Next time you wanna walk your dog, pack a 9mm and a pitbull.

  6. I don’t think so. We need those cops out protecting our kids when they are out at our parks playing. If you don’t want good, law abiding citizens carrying guns to protect ourselves, then get more cops on our streets. How are you going to protect us and our kids when our, and I mean OUR cops, are looking for piles of garbage out in the un-populated areas. Please somebody get a clue!

  7. If I can’t ride in the desert in the middle of nowhere then your not going to do it on my dime LA COUNTY sherriff … Protect and serve my butt sounds like they all just want to pick up brand new 2017 bikes on out tax dollars to me

  8. Wow, please do not use my tax dollars to patrol the middle of nowhere. As you can see that’s the least of our concerns. I grew up riding out in these deserts and many of you might agree if you can pony up the money for a bike and some gear your probably not out being reckless committing crimes not have the intentions to. Why don’t you actively target those who are committing legitimate crimes and not us law abiding citizens

  9. Waste of money… they need to focus on patrolling homes during the day and stop all of the home burglaries happening. Who cares about dirt roads… protect my property and my belongings.

  11. Open some land for OHV parks so We have more places to ride… Maybe the crime rate with decrease because there is Actually somrthing for more people to DO for recreation.

  12. Read their Grant application, their not out there for public safety just enforcement. This is the problem with our local sheriffs they forget to read their logo “protect and serve the Community…and serve does not mean giving out tickets and Criminalizing the public. Educate the public!

  13. Waste of taxpayer money$$$! They where riding on Easter Sunday out riding like crazy riders trying to give out tickets on Easter. I could not believe it. Who knows what they get paid for patrolling on a holiday 3× pay? No body wants this, stop program! Government against the people wasting our money.

  14. This is money paid by the owners of ohv vehicles through registration fees and is supposed to be used to maintain ohv areas. The state has tried to rob this fund several times and during the recession the state said the fund had no money, which ended up being a lie. The sad part the state attempted to shut down ohv parks until private organizations used the freedom of information act to discover over a 100 million dollar surplus. Now everyone wants that money, as a owner of multiple ohv vehicles and fee payee I am not happy that money is being wasted on rural patrols, use it for the ohv parks or open more parks to stop illegal ridding.

    • Absolutely a waste of money..That money could be used to help put some real criminals in jail.

  17. If the streets don’t start getting some much needed repairs dirt bikes way be the only way to get around town.

  18. If the sheriffs really have that much free time and freedom of taxpayer money to build a team like this for places that have little population and little crime so officers can ride around on their dirtbikes is very unnecessary. Use the money and time on putting officers on school campuses and patrolling the ghetto suburbs streets to detour crime.

  20. “The team regularly patrols the areas which are open for OHV enthusiasts in the Angeles National Forest, conduct equipment checks, and provide information to trail use.”

    I ask any of you to find these”OPEN” areas. The LACSD trespass more than anyone in the AV.

    • Only time I ever saw one of these deputies on a dirt bike he was riding on a neighborhood street in Lancaster.

  22. Haha hell no! This is stupid am 18 and I ride all the time but if you guys want kids to do drugs then take all our fun stuff away like skating and dirt biking stupid people tf. If you pass this just know I ant stopping good luck trying to catch me cause I don’t let back and I’m a good rider so good luck better get people who can ride better then my group cause so far you guys can’t even get close to us and we only got 250s. Up your game I’ll do the same cause I ant giving up my fun out in a place that I ant bothing people so stop this bs and get a life leave us alone

  23. NO THIS B.S. HAS TO STOP. We are better served with these cops ANYWHERE. All walmarts, grocery stores, liquor stores ,parks,schools,fast food cmon ANYWHERE but cruising the hills on trailbikes please get real cops

  24. NO! 14 officers handled a total of 636 calls in an entire year??? Not only seriously inefficient but resources that could have been used in a much more proactive and productive manner. This is simply another waste of money so cops can go play in the dirt all day and look for even more ways to rob us of our hobbies.

  25. I ride avidly and have a friend who’s dad is a sheriff dirtbike cop. They’re usually pretty cool, but I don’t think they need more grants. Riding (legal or not) keeps a lot of young adults/teens out of trouble. And they can’t catch the people that avidly ride anyway. Doesent matter how good of a rider you are, a DRZ300 with full gear is not going to beat a 450 with a rider that knows how to ride. And a lot of us (such as myself) have been riding the same single tracks for 8+ years, we know the terrain well whereas the sheriffs ride at a different spots every weekend.

  27. Hell no I prefer seeing these kids & adults in their vehicle out and about having fun and adventuring with freedom. They’re not out causing trouble in the streets like most youth nowadays. Not to mention being in the outdoors is great for people and having law enforcement breathing down your neck is the last thing they need.

    • Not as bad as LEAPS.Not as bad as LEAPS.Biggest waste of taxpayer money in Lancaster history.Biggest waste of taxpayer money in Lancaster history.

    • Yes, and those tax payers are the ones that register their OHV. That money is to pay for what little ridding areas that they can use.

      Read up on what the “green sticker” program is supposed to pay for. Then see where that money goes.

    • Super huge Waste of tax dollars! No one riding there dirt bikes is out there shooting people or stealing anything. Pay for more cops to patrol the streets

  33. I think that the massive solar farms going up all over the desert are a far greater blight on the landscape than a motorcycle single-track path will ever be. None of the people lamenting over the “damage” that motorcycles do ever seem too concerned over that. I would also echo the sentiments of the people who say that perhaps the law-enforcement presence would be better applied to increased patrols of some of our more crime-prone neighborhoods. I am fairly certain that the average rider that gets “busted” by these guys are just people out having fun and harming nobody. This seems a poor application of limited law-enforcement resources to areas in which they are not needed.

  34. I have met members of this team several times in the desert, they are very conscious and work hard not only to stop illegal riding, but trash dumping, drugs farms etc. They are Sheriffs first, and work to protect us and our desert. They are not out every day F**king off on Dirt bike they are doing a much needed service here in the AV. To the person that suggested having them outside of the school check your information there are Deputy’s in the schools now.

    • Illegal dumping my a$$ look across the street from my house! The OHV riders aren’t doing anything wrong. Harming the desert would be all the solar farms they are putting up.

  35. This is antelope valley aka palmton.get off the bikes and stop real crime .dirtbikes.and atvs.don’t shoot and rob anyone lol

    • If you were a cop, which would you rather get paid for. Riding around on a dirt bike in the desert or dealing with gang bangers and meth heads in the city?

      • Exactly why we need to remove soft jobs like this from their options. They want to serve and protect? Thet want to be the heroes that protect us from the badguys? Fine. Take your paycheck and arrest people who are causing harm to and violating the rights of others. People robbing liquor stores at gunpoint? Go. Do. Arrest. People enjoying themselves in the (supposedly) free country we call home? Leave them alone.

  36. Sounds good to me. Dirt bikes look like so much fun and we have no problem when they stay in areas that are legal for them. An anthropology teacher of mine once said that it takes ten years for the earth to recover from one shovel of dirt turned over. We can see the damage done throughout all the AV.

    • Lmao .dirt recovery are u kidding me wake up this is palmdale acton.lancaster there has been at vs for 30 plus years .but not gangs!! And methods and felons.all those sheriffs are fat and lazy and get paid to ride .and HURT THE DIRT lol

    • You’re such an idiot !!! Look what housing and business are polluting the deserts.
      Definitely you don’t own a dirtbike , but one and join other riders , see how maintain our legal riding areas …. You won’t find trash or graffiti .

  37. Am I the only one who thinks these guys should be outside our schools, and in our neighborhoods doing Crime Prevention instead of “F”ing off on their dirt bikes?

  39. “The team also conducted patrols on July 4 to quell illegal firework activity.” Lol chill, go do something productive ur our resources dawg.