Speeding Task Force Nets 104 Citations Along Sunset Blvd

A crackdown by in late August and last weekend on speeders along Sunset Boulevard earned the applause of the Pacific Palisades Community Council on Thursday night.

Officer Christopher Smythe told the public that during an 8-hour task force operation on Aug. 29 he issued 104 citations. It focused primarily on Sunset Boulevard between Amalfi, Chatauqua and the PCH. This past Sunday, Sept 9, around noon he said they wrote up several motorcyclists for speeding, as well as several Palisadians who drive fast, going speeds between 64 and 70 miles per hour along Sunset.

"We're going to do another task force," he said. "We don't know when that's going to be yet. We keep that date confidential until the night you hear us out there."

There's been toward groups of motorcyclists who ride Sunset Boulevard from residents who consider their blaring roar a nuisance to quality of life. During the task force last month, Smythe said about 20 motorcyclists were written cituations but not a single one was impounded since they were mostly equipment violations.

One resident during Thurday's council meeting said there's a motorcycle "club" that rides from Sunset to the PCH on Sundays around noon in groups of about 20 to 25. At times, Palisadians have also claimed a motorcycle group that speeds through the area consistently on Wednesdays.

"Because they ride together, we can’t abitrarily stop them," Smythe added. "There were several groups I stopped on Sunday."

He said with Sunset Safety week getting postponed because of Carmageddon II and lack of staffing available that final weekend of the month, they will look to do another task force.

Joaquin Maceas, field deputy for City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl's office said Thursday they will push it to the beginning of 2013.