Controversy around how to regulate all-terrain vehicles continues

Organized Police Association President José González Montañez (Facebook via El Leon Fiscalizador)

By The Star Staff

The controversy surrounding the Committee to Regulate Off-Road Vehicles created by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón through an executive order continued on Monday.

The committee aims to evaluate the feasibility of allowing the use of all-terrain vehicles on the island’s roads, something that the Police Bureau opposes.

However, criticism has intensified in recent days, especially following incidents between motorcyclists and police in the municipalities of Río Grande and San Juan last weekend.

Organized Police Association President José González Montañez expressed his concern and described the initiative as dangerous, arguing that police forces already face difficulties controlling the traffic of legal and registered motorcycles.

“Motorcycles, which are regulated, are already a headache for the police. Imagine having other all-terrain vehicles and four-track vehicles,” he said in a televised interview. “We don’t have enough police officers.”

The police inspector warned that including off-road vehicles could significantly increase risks and deaths on public roads, and he directly appealed to the governor and Police Commissioner Joseph González to reconsider the establishment of the committee.

The controversy remains ongoing, and further action is expected to be taken in the coming days.