LAPD Cracks Down on Motorcyclists

Los Angeles police put the infamously noisy motorcycle gang plaguing the quality of life for many Palisades residents on notice Wednesday night, May 29.

A task force consisting of officers and helicopters from the LAPD West Traffic Division were posted along Sunset Blvd. Specifically, they aimed to educate the band of motorcycle riders who frequent the area every Wednesday and Sunday night.

“Our goal is to keep the peace in the neighborhood and respond to all community concerns,” said Capt. Rolando Solano of West Traffic Division. “As long as we’re receiving complaints, when I have the resources to use, I will deploy them.”

Solano said officers monitored about 70 motorcyclists along Sunset that night. They were stopped at the intersection of Sunset and Pacific Coast Highway for a lecture from police.

Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore said one rider was cited for going 85 miles per hour and not carrying a license. Two motorcycles were impounded and four other citations were written – a couple for loud exhausts and others for having after-market parts rather than stock parts.

“The reason for such a low number [of citations] is because it was geared toward education and trying to gain cooperation with the individuals to end this problem,” Moore said.

“I don’t think we can get them to stop the ride but [maybe we can get them] to not ride through the area after 10 p.m.,” Moore added.

Solano said he asked the riders to put themselves in the shoes of the residents living along Sunset, residents like Amy Kalp.

The El Medio Bluffs resident, who is no stranger to the cacaphony, said, “After 10 p.m. on a work and school night is just not an appropriate or respectable time of the day to be engaging in an unnecessary recreational activity, which wakes up a sleeping community and scares children with the noise disturbances it generates.”

“They seemed pretty understanding,” Solano said. “We said, ‘if you guys are going to come out here at ridiculous hours, we’ll be out here.’”

There was a similar crackdown on all speeding drivers along Sunset on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, 2012. On those nights, the LAPD issued 104 citations for speeding.