Police in Vallejo, California, found themselves dealing with considerably more than one uncooperative dirt bike rider Sunday afternoon.
About 40 to 50 riders were moving through the city Aug. 30, running red lights and stop signs, traveling against traffic and blocking roadways, according to the Vallejo Police Department.
Police said riders also repeatedly fled when officers attempted enforcement stops.
Instead of staying close behind them through city streets, officers had another option: let someone else keep watching.
Eyes Above
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Vallejo officers coordinated with the California Highway Patrol Air Unit during the incident. At several points, police backed away from close pursuit while CHP maintained visual contact with the riders from overhead.
That allowed officers to continue coordinating their response without following dirt bikes closely through traffic.
By the end of the operation, police had arrested eight people. They came from Vallejo, Richmond, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Soquel and Sonoma, with two of the eight listed as Sonoma residents.
Police also had eight dirt bikes and two vehicles associated with the incident towed.
Still Following
Vallejo police used the arrests to make a broader point about fleeing traffic stops, warning that running from police can expose a driver to substantially more serious consequences when the conduct causes serious injury or death.
The department also explained why officers may sometimes appear to stop chasing someone.
Police said they continually weigh the need to immediately catch a fleeing driver against the danger a pursuit creates for everyone else on the road. When that danger becomes too high, officers can terminate a pursuit and use alternatives such as aircraft or other technology when they are available.
In this case, backing off did not mean giving up.
Eight riders were arrested, and ten vehicles left with tow trucks.