I hope all your readers realize that Hollister Police Chief Jeff
Miller’s Oct. 7 warning about
”
not being able to guarantee public safety
”
at the 2006 Independence Day Rally is no more than a scare
tactic to sway public opinion against the Rally (thus appeasing the
usual whiners in the area).
Editor,
I hope all your readers realize that Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller’s Oct. 7 warning about “not being able to guarantee public safety” at the 2006 Independence Day Rally is no more than a scare tactic to sway public opinion against the Rally (thus appeasing the usual whiners in the area).
Despite the Hollister City Council’s annual efforts to ruin it, and the recent like efforts by Miller and Sheriff Curtis Hill, the Rally Committee has put together a fantastic local event. This year, however, I was shocked, angered and disappointed to see the police ticketing bikers for “offenses” like stopping one foot beyond the stop signs (a costly moving violation) and supposed inadequate mirrors and blinkers.
The police, pretending ignorance, stopped some motorcycles for LED (strip) blinkers, which are legal: They questioned the driver about rear blinkers, and when demonstrated, proceeded to check helmets, which are a secondary offense. Jaw dropped, I watched this for over an hour just to confirm the reality of what I was seeing. I have been to bike rallies, which everyone knows are adult- oriented events, in several places.
However, only in Hollister have I seen the police harass people as mentioned above and in other ways (like pulling me aside with the feigned suspicion that I was drunk, although I was there all three days never having a drop the entire time).
There is a huge police presence at the Reno, Virginia City, Laughlin and Las Vegas rallies, but unlike California (or at least Miller’s) police, the officers have no fascist mentality. I had great conversations with officers in those Nevada locations, which started by merely asking their assignments.
And guess what: People respect them! One needs not have a degree in sociology to comprehend why. The Laughlin incident can indeed happen at any event. If Miller truly wants public safety, he can develop a cooperative and constructive, rather than fascist and destructive, attitude in the officers under him (who were brought in from several departments).
He will then see a huge change in the environment of the event, with people actually interacting and supporting the police, which will subsequently require a lesser force, saving money. He can have them spotting and following “colors” rather than harassing harmless people with LEDs, and then, if there is a group challenge, as some claim was done by the Mongols club (not gang), all the police will be immediately ready and have a lot of cooperation from those attending. A little respect, as well as a little disrespect, goes a long way. Whether you have a motorcycle or not, if you happen to be in an area that is hosting a rally, attend it and you will find the atmosphere, while still adult-oriented, worlds better than that in California. And there is no reason for our state to act so disgracefully, with so much contempt for freedom.
Alan Viarengo, Gilroy
