With the Hollister Motorcycle Rally running today through
Sunday, local law enforcers have hustled with preparations in
recent days to ensure the public’s safety over the hectic
weekend.
Hollister – With the Hollister Motorcycle Rally running today through Sunday, local law enforcers have hustled with preparations in recent days to ensure the public’s safety over the hectic weekend.
The Hollister Police Department had its general public safety plan in place by Tuesday. The department has been preparing the plan for several months. Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller, however, said the plan will evolve throughout rally weekend as the department makes adjustments.
The chief said this year’s rally layout features many safety advantages, including easier access throughout downtown for police and fire personnel.
“We hope everyone has an enjoyable time, a safe time, and we hope everyone follows the rules and obeys the law,” Miller said.
Arrests and citations have varied year to year, according to the police department.
In 2004, law enforcers had a busy rally weekend, with 75 arrests, 319 general citations and 53 parking citations within city limits.
At the last rally, in 2005, 65 people were arrested and 253 general citations were given. Only two people were cited for parking violations, because there was no parking officer in 2005.
During what would have been the rally weekend had it not been canceled in 2006, there were 39 arrests, 77 general citations and 37 parking citations.
Miller said rally attendees should obey parking laws.
Outside agencies will assist Hollister police with public safety, but Miller declined to comment on how many officers will be present. The California Highway Patrol, meanwhile, will once again be out in full force.
Officer Chris Armstrong, a spokesman for the Hollister-Gilroy area office of the CHP, said every available officer will work the three-day event, while officers from outside the area will be brought in to assist.
“CHP personnel will be on all the side roads,” Armstrong said.
Aside from patrolling unincorporated areas, the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office will be on patrol within the city limits and monitoring gang activity, Sheriff Curtis Hill said.
Hill said the majority of rally attendees are law-abiding citizens.
But the rally can attract outlaw biker gangs that bring drugs and prostitution to the event, Hill said.
“It’s the unpredictable behavior of that 1 percent crowd that needs to be monitored,” Hill said.
The sheriff’s office also has been working to decrease the county jail’s population in preparation for the rally weekend, Hill said.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 104 inmates in a jail that holds 142, Hill said.
Many of the jail’s expected guests are generally people arrested on suspicion of public intoxication during the rally weekend.
“We’re not moving to prosecute those folks. We’re just looking to keep them safe,” Hill said.
