Video shows BPD cruiser driving onto sidewalk while chasing dirt biker

BOSTON — Footage of a Boston Police cruiser driving onto a sidewalk to chase a dirt biker in one of the busiest intersections of Boston's Back Bay taken back in October is raising a lot of questions.

The video, taken by Ilya Smirnov, a bystander, clearly shows the police cruiser hopping the curb outside the Boston Public Library - extremely close to pedestrians. The officer was trying to stop a dirt biker down the sidewalk, across a crosswalk and eventually down Boylston Street.

Smirnov tweeted at Boston Police on Oct. 5, the day the incident happened asking whether it was really necessary.

Although impactful, what the video doesn't show is the bigger problem that Boston Police say they deal with all the time - illegal dirt bike riders that put many people in danger.

Boston Police say the officer was trying to issue a traffic violation to the motorcyclist for illegally driving in city streets.

At first glance, many were alarmed to see the cruiser come so close to people walking on the sidewalk.

"I think it's a little bit alarming that a police officer ran like that close to a pedestrian, if a regular person did that, I'd be calling the police about that," said Rohit Abraham, a bystander.

However, Boston Police tell Boston 25 News the officer had every right to do this in order to stop someone who's breaking the law, and to try and arrest these dangerous dirt bike riders.

25 Investigates has followed the problem for a couple of years now where dirt bike riders have been illegally driving on city streets and sidewalks without a license to operate these motorcycles.

Boston Police say the officer couldn't catch the man on the dirt bike that night, but they say he will be charged if they find him.

Cox Media Group