LOWELL — Teenagers treating downtown streets like a bicycle stunt course were the target of a police sweep on Thursday.
The Lowell Police Department’s Neighborhood Response Unit and Traffic Unit carried out Bicycle Safety Operation after weeks of complaints from residents, pedestrians, business owners and drivers about youths weaving through traffic, riding on sidewalks and performing stunts in busy downtown corridors.
According to the department, officers seized nine e-bikes, four bicycles and one motorized scooter during the enforcement effort.
Police said the violations involved riders age 16 or younger who were not wearing helmets, individuals obstructing or riding on downtown sidewalks, and teens performing wheelies and other stunts on downtown streets.
“The mission of the Bicycle Safety Operation is to increase public safety of pedestrians and the motoring public as well as the youthful bike operators themselves through enforcement and education of the bicycle safety regulations,” police said in a post about the operation on Facebook.
Parents must contact the Neighborhood Response Unit at 978‑674‑1985 to arrange the return of their child’s bike. Impounded bicycles will be available for pickup beginning Oct. 9, when parents will receive a summary of state bicycle‑safety rules and the Lowell City Ordinance governing bicycles, skateboards and roller skates.
“The Lowell Police Department requests that parents review these regulations with their children for the safety of everyone in the Downtown area,” the department said in the post.
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