After a recent decision to prohibit a memorial motorcycle run to
pass through downtown Hollister, a local police official changed
his mind Tuesday afternoon and decided to postpone forcing the
motorcade to revise its route until 2004.
After a recent decision to prohibit a memorial motorcycle run to pass through downtown Hollister, a local police official changed his mind Tuesday afternoon and decided to postpone forcing the motorcade to revise its route until 2004.
Organizers of the Santa Clara Valley Peace Officers’ Memorial Run were surprised when interim Police Chief Larry Todd informed them May 1 that the assemblage of riders for the May 17 run, which begins in San Jose, would be re-routed around Hollister.
Todd initially made the decision because the HPD received “numerous complaints throughout the community” regarding the 2002 run, according to HPD Capt. Richard Vasquez.
Last year, an estimated 2,000 motorcyclists on 1,500 machines took part in the second annual run, according to Hollister resident Bucky Harris, the event’s originator and a San Jose police officer. Harris said he didn’t learn of the complaints until this week.
“If there had been any problems in Santa Clara County or San Benito County with the run, we could have started working at resolving those issues long before the run was going to happen this year,” Harris said.
Before Todd changed his mind, he said he would not order a halt to regular traffic on San Benito Street or allow the group to ride through stoplights. Harris said a less desirable alternate route would have taken the motorcyclists onto Highway 156, then along Fairview Road to Airline Highway. If riders take a “back route,” Harris said, “people won’t see it.”
After Harris pleaded with the City Council and new City Manager Dale Shaddox at Monday’s meeting, Todd discussed the issue Tuesday with Shaddox. They concluded that re-routing the 2003 run would not be fair because “advertising is already done,” Vasquez said.
Harris said he started planning the 2003 event in June 2002.
“It caught me from the blind side,” Harris said. “I’ve heard nothing but positive comments about this motorcycle run.”
The run honors 40 Santa Clara County law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. It begins at the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department – the site of a memorial for the fallen officers – and ends with a barbecue at Bolado Park.
Forty on-duty patrol officers from six to eight agencies will provide an escort, Harris said, as riders travel along highways 87, 85, 101 and 156 before reaching San Benito Street. Organizers expect the riders to reach Hollister sometime between 11:45 and noon May 17.
The HPD also expressed concern for safety issues because traffic was held up for almost an hour in 2002, according to Vasquez.
“There are always going to be safety issues anytime you have to block off the main drag and you’re diverting traffic,” he said. “Once again, it’s nothing against the organization. The fact is, we’re concerned about a delay down the main drag.”
Harris said there have been no accidents in the run’s short history because of its orderly nature. He said speed is controlled and an ambulance follows the line of motorcycles.
“We do everything we can to negate any potential problems that could cause harm.”
Robert Scattini, county marshal and Hollister City Councilman, has taken part in the run all three years and called it “well organized.” He alluded to the 40 escorts, along with the high proportion of riders who are off-duty police officers.
“I just don’t see where there’s a major problem,” Scattini said.
Both Scattini and Harris said the residents of Hollister take pride in the run, not only because it honors fallen police officers, but also because of widespread affection for motorcycles. Scattini said about 100 riders are residents of Hollister.
“I’ve lived here for more than 10 years, I know the community very well,” Harris said. “Hollister has a long-standing romantical relationship with motorcycles.”
For people who see the line of motorcycles ride through downtown, Harris said, “It’s an awesome sight.”
Todd took over as police chief April 14 for the retiring Bill Pierpoint. Officials initially estimated his term would last two to three months before a permanent police chief takes over.
