Apparent Leader Of Dirt Bike Gang No Longer A Sheriff's Deputy Following KPIX 5 Report
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- The apparent leader of a group of dirt bikers seen on video tearing through city streets is no longer employed by the Marin County Sheriff's Department following a KPIX 5 investigation into the group.
Members of the group Bay Area Supermoto (BASM) are seen on videos blowing stop signs, doing wheelies, riding down stairs -- sometimes as part of a game.
A former BASM rider identified Zack Schlief, a Marin County Sheriff's deputy, as the leader of the group. "He would make comments like he is not too worried about the police because he is one," he said.
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We then confronted Zack:
Betty: We also know that you are with law enforcement. Is that correct?
Zack: No that's not true.
Betty: It just seems like a conflict of interest knowing that you are a law enforcement official
Zack: (interrupting) I am not doing any stunts. I am sorry, I am not talking to you.
Betty: There is video of you doing such things. That is why we just wanted to ask you a few questions because as a law enforcement officer by day, it seems like a conflict of interest to be doing this kind of stuff when you are outside the job.
Zack: Please do not talk to me please!
Now the Marin County Department of Human Resources confirmed to KPIX5 that Zack Schlief is no longer employed with the county. The change happened one day after we brought our video and information to his boss' attention.
"I don't know the details, but if the Marin County Sheriff's department acted upon that it shows that they want to keep their professionalism within the ranks," said San Francisco Police Captain Joe McFadden. "That that they reacted to it so quickly is a good sign that they are on top of any misconduct by any police officer."
Capt. McFadden has been getting a lot of complaints about the bikers in his Ingleside District. He knows the danger and difficulty that comes with catching these men on bikes through city streets. It's often just too risky to chase them.
For many months, SFPD didn't know who was under the helmet. Before Schlief disabled his Facebook page, we found a photo of him posing by a Marin County Sheriff's squad car. We also spotted a familiar-looking motorcycle, seen in YouTube video doing a wheelie on the Golden Gate Bridge, and speeding down the Embarcadero. The rider even taps his head to give a signal that police are ahead.
"You can't be a vigilante at night," McFadden said. "You are still assigned to protect the public and the public's interest 24-7 whether you're on duty or off duty."
The BASM group has since turned its YouTube channel and social media accounts private since we first brought you this story two weeks ago.
