That the leader of a Bay Area dirt bike gang might actually be a Marin County Sheriff's deputy was brought to the public's attention late last month after an investigation pointed strongly to the fact that an officer was leading the illegal rides. Well, it also apparently caught the attention of the officer's law enforcement superiors, as the once-Deputy no longer works for the Sheriff's Department.

The initial report was published on December 22, and CBS 5 confirmed yesterday that the focus of the investigation, Zack Schlief, is no longer employed by the Department. However, citing privacy issues, the Sheriff's office did not say if Schlief was fired or simply quit.

Bay Area SuperMoto (BASM), as the group called itself, would ride through the streets of San Francisco — blowing stop signs and driving over sidewalks — and document the crimes for posterity on the internet. One self-proclaimed former member explained the group to CBS 5.

"It is a sport," said the man, who requested anonymity. "It's how many dangerous maneuvers can you pull, how good are you at riding and not wrecking your bike into these cars and things that are around you."

Video shot by the station depicts Schlief bragging about being a BASM leader.

“Everyone new welcome, if you have never been on big rides before, it’s a lot of fun," says the then-deputy. "When you are the one that is leading the ride, like me and him, it’s like fucking herding cats."

It should be noted that BASM is a totally different reckless riding crew than the spectacularly named "Chicken Shit" dirt bike gang that briefly took over the Haight last summer.

Officer Carlos Manfredi of the San Francisco Police Department explained to CBS 5 why groups like BASM are so troublesome.

“It puts everyone in danger,” noted Manfredi. “They are riding without any regard for public safety. They’re doing wheelies, performing stunts throughout the city. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.”

Maybe now that the group's alleged leader is out of a job, BASM will be slightly more cautious going forward. Maybe.

Previously: Video: Is A Marin County Sheriff's Deputy Leading A Bay Area Dirt Bike Gang?