‘Public safety outweighs the offence.’ Officer explains why cops don’t chase kids on e-dirt bikes During a wide ranging discussion that also touched on shoplifting and the need for target practice, Coquitlam council interrogated Coquitlam RCMP’s officer-in-charge about youth riding e-dirt bikes on city streets. During the June 22 meeting, Coun. Robert Mazzarolo talked about seeing young riders around Coast Meridian, “blowing past you, doing wheelies in oncoming traffic.” A group of riders on Burke Mountain are “posing a danger to residents,” as well as drivers and pedestrians, he added. Local news that matters to you No one covers the Tri-Cities like we do. But we need your help to keep our community journalism sustainable. “I would strongly encourage that some resources be deployed on Burke Mountain,” he said. Police are handling enforcement with helicopters when possible and issuing fines while avoiding high-speed pursuit, explained Coquitlam RCMP Insp. Todd Balaban. “You’re not going to see us lights-and-siren chasing a guy on a dirt bike,” he said. While there could be an exception when the rider is a threat to the public prompting police to give chase, in most cases: “public safety outweighs the offence,” he said. “Do I want to chase a 14-year-old kid on an e-dirt bike and have him die?” he asked. While e-bikes are regulated and top out at 32 kilometres per hour, e-dirt bikes can hit 100 km/h, he noted. Crime stats Aside from an uptick in residential break-and-enters, property crimes were down in most categories in 2026 with the exception of shoplifting. Coquitlam businesses reported 168 incidents of shoplifting in the first trimester of 2026 – 86 percent more than the three-year average. That increase is largely due to affordability, Balaban told council. “It’s not the transient or unhoused persons,” he said. “it is the