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Council debates enforcement plan for ordinance aimed at dangerous group riding; police to target instigators and may impound bikes
Summary
After residents described repeated dangerous encounters with large groups of riders, the police chief told council the enforcement strategy will target main instigators, use interagency assistance including air support where available, and enable seizure of bikes for 30 days to prevent immediate reoffending.
Ceres council members and residents on Dec. 8 discussed enforcement strategy for an ordinance intended to address large, traffic-blocking groups of bicycle and motorized-bike riders.
Council members described recurring safety incidents in which large groups of riders blocked roadways or rode aggressively near cars. "They came into my lane and popped their wheelie trying to come directly to me... they blocked Pine Street while I was coming down trying to head home," one council member said, recounting repeated dangerous encounters.
The police chief told the council the department is coordinating with other law-enforcement agencies and plans to prioritize identifying and arresting or citing the main instigators rather than pursuit of every individual in large groups. "One of the complications right now that we have is that most of the offenders are juveniles... the ordinance does is it will prevent that because then we can take their bike for 30 days, give them the citation," the chief said, explaining that temporary seizure intends to reduce repeat offending.
Public commenters suggested deploying cameras along corridors with recurring incidents; the chief noted cameras are generally installed in parks and that portable cameras are available for targeted deployment but cautioned that cameras are not placed on every streetlight.
Council members voted to approve the ordinance as part of the consent calendar (item 15), and they asked police to work on consistent enforcement and resource allocation for repeat incidents. The council did not detail an expanded camera program during the meeting; staff said they will work with partner agencies and consider tactical deployments.
