Constables of the Peace – Cops on Bikes

In this post, you’ll see police officers with bikes

in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, Salinas, Seaside, and Soledad.

Carmel officers pause on Scenic Drive–a route popular with both visitors and locals.

Bicycle traffic law enforcement

In another California county (San Diego), the bicycle community and the police wanted to avoid incidents like this, where a cyclist was incorrectly ticketed although they had followed California law about lane usage for bicyclists.  So,  trainings for police officers on cyclists’ rights and laws were established. The Police Department also issued a helpful memo to its officers on bicycle traffic enforcement.

In Monterey County, we’re very fortunate to have police departments that are pretty bike-savvy! One reason is the awareness that comes from having many PDs with officers who bike themselves, like those pictured in this post. See some in action! Many of our local PDs have Police Activities League (PAL) activities that support kids in biking safely; see Seaside PAL bike fair, and read about needs of Salinas PAL.

Keeping on the right side of the law

Police officers have incredibly high-stress jobs with a lot to keep track of.  I wouldn’t want to walk in their shoes!  In the unlikely event you ever feel you’ve been incorrectly warned–or even mistakenly ticketed–by a police officer in Monterey County, please notify the head of that police department.  But first….

Know before you ride

Prevent problems:  Please review California bicycle laws.  People must learn the Rules of the Road before getting their driver’s license. And even where not required to get a bicycle license, it’s common sense to learn the bicycle laws before biking–and it can prevent a ticket or accident.

Feel free to contact me with questions.  Where to find those Cali bike laws?  See:

• CA Bike Laws and Personal Safety Tips on this site.
•  State of California Rules of the Road:  Operation of Bicycles – Spanish-language summary of California bicycle laws can be downloaded here (not available on DMV website as of 12/16/11):  SPANISH Summary of bicycle section of CA Vehicle Code – Leyes de ciclismo de California
•  Rules of the Road – A Summary of California Cycling Laws from the California Bicycling Coalition

Resources for police departments

Resources include Police Bike Store, which also includes an electric bike from Currie Technologies developed expressly for police patrol use.

There are many more resources for police officers–including special training to help them carry out their duties by bike, and training to help them in their interactions and law enforcement with other cyclists.  Contact me if you’d like to know more.

* * * * *

Keeping the Peace on Saint Pat’s

St. Pat’s Day 2011 was hopping in Monterey.  These two Constables of the Peace were snapped with a bystander’s iPhone in front of Britannia Arms.  Too bad the cops were on duty and couldn’t stop in for a meal–the Brit would give them a discount, it being a Thursday, and the Brit being in the HER Helmet Thursdays project!

Alas, these officers had to keep moving.  I saw them pedaling a few minutes later down by another HHT spot, Peter B’s Brew Pub.  They were making their way to the various bars, keeping tabs on things.  Alert and pleasant, these busy officers  briefly chatted with St. Pat’s partiers along their route, making a special contribution to keeping the peace.

There were police patrol cars about town too.  And lots of taxicabs on the move tonight–smart, those people who phone a cabbie and refrain from drinking and driving! (See tips on this site about drinking and biking.)

And there were a surprising number of cyclists–clearly folks who know there’s more than one way to travel, even at night.  Flashing bike lights and happy pedalers were seen on the streets and bike paths at least until midnight, from the Naval Postgraduate School to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

This was one of those days when I worked late and desperately needed a ride–so it was going to be a night ride.  Called a couple of cyclist gals–Megan had a cold and a deadline, and Jan the Answer Man’s wife, Cath, wasn’t home.   With a bright moon, it would have been fun to head down a quiet trail with a friend.  Biking alone tonight, I decided to give up the moonlight for the bright street lights of town.

As I neared El Estero Lake, I heard music pouring across the water from the downtown area.  At first I thought nearby Trinity High School must be having a special concert.  Then I realized it was coming from further away–must be the Mucky Duck’s outdoor patio.  Sure enough, as I headed for errand destinations–the library book drop and my Post Office box–I realized it was St. Pat’s Day.  Town was buzzing, with people everywhere!

Three hours later, I ended my unplanned night ride.  It had been interspersed with stops to chat with staff at various bike-friendly businesses, including many  HER Helmet Thursdays spots–among them, the car and bike valet attendants at Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa and at Intercontinental The Clement Monterey.

Especially remembering those who are suffering in Japan now, and the many people who live in conditions of war, I felt very grateful to live in a safe, peaceful community.  This is a community where “take back the night” can, under the right conditions, be a comfortable thing to do–even moreso with cops on bikes about!

* * * * *

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel’s police officers not only bike (as shown at the top of this post), they also show they know the value of using bike-and-ride for those occasions when time doesn’t permit you to bike all the way to your destination.

Monterey

In addition to the St. Pat’s Day officers on duty, see more photos of City of Monterey police officers on bikes in this post about distracted driving–or biking.

Salinas

The City of Monterey Police Department clearly recognizes the sensibility of more effectively patrolling the community while also reducing the City’s carbon footprint by using alternative transportation, bicycles.   So does the Salinas Police Department, as I witnessed at last summer’s night parade, when some of the officers rode the parade route on bikes.

Did you know that the Salinas Police Activities League (PAL) puts on bicycle safety rodeos for children and teens?  They have done a rodeo annually at Alisal Healthy Start for the past several years, and they do rodeos in other parts of the city too. They are always looking to expand their reach and make their events better. Please contact Salinas PAL to see how you can help!

Also see Salinas Youth post for a dozen ideas of how you can help Salinas PD and others to support more youth in biking.

Special thanks to Lalo Villegas of Salinas PD for his enthusiastic support for biking.  A veteran of the department, Lalo biked to the City Council meeting with other bike advocates during  Bike Week 2010, and he was instrumental in making this photo available for the Bicycling Monterey website.

Here’s a May 2011 photo of Officer Kevin Mead of Salinas PD.  With any round of budget cuts, let’s hope these terrific police officers remain on the beat–and with the salaries and benefits their demanding work so warrants.

Who else is out on a bike, supporting the work of the Salinas Police Department?  See Neighborhood Watch by Bike.

Seaside

You may have seen the Seaside police officer pictured below,  an avid cyclist, out serving as a biking role model in his community.

Seaside Police Department is a bike-friendly PD too,  and their Police Activities League (PAL) program has somehow managed to squeeze out the time to create a PAL Bike Fair on May 15, 2011.  This event, coordinated by the department’s Tina Rosa, caps off Bike Week (May 9-15) and is also a fun way to help Seaside get ready for the Amgen Tour de California on May 19th!  Check out the PAL Bike Fair (11-4), followed by a Recreational Ride at 4:30 (plus Amgen in Seaside info).

Here’s a July 2010 photo of Officer Anthony Snell of the Seaside Police Department.

Soledad

Click here for a photo of a City of Soledad’s bike patrol officer, and to learn more about the Soledad bike patrol program. 

Soledad Police, as with some other PDs countywide, like to help with bicycle rodeos too, like this bike rodeo in April 2011.