Dear Editor,
Early in October, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller decreed
that his department would
”
not be able to guarantee public safety
”
at future motorcycle rallies. This was no more than a shallow
scare tactic to sway public opinion against the rally and appease
the usual bunch of local whiners.
Dear Editor,
Early in October, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller decreed that his department would “not be able to guarantee public safety” at future motorcycle rallies. This was no more than a shallow scare tactic to sway public opinion against the rally and appease the usual bunch of local whiners.
It also showed that lack of respect and effort, typical of this area, on the part of public servants. The Hollister Rally is over-policed. This was demonstrated by Miller himself, as he had his men ticketing people for sitting on their bikes (a little-known law used only for harassment), for stopping one foot beyond the stop signs (a costly moving violation), and for supposedly inadequate mirrors and blinkers.
I have been to motorcycle rallies in several places. Only in Hollister (and Gilroy) have I seen the police outright harass people for nothing. (Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right.)
Myself, I was pulled aside for feigned suspicion that I was drunk, although I was there all three days and never had a drop, or any intoxicant, the entire time. The police at the Reno, Virginia City, Laughlin and Las Vegas rallies have no such fascist mentality. After reading statements of attitude by Miller, CHP admiral Bob Davies and San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill, I have come to the conclusion that the problem is the lack of law-enforcement leadership in this area, demonstrated also by their lack of proper use of resources.
The rally is a fantastic local event. The only reason Miller, Davies, and Hill want to cancel it is because they don’t want to have to do any extra work. They sound like the Gilroy Fire Department demanding a ban on fireworks.
Alan Viarengo, Gilroy
