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Police Beef Up Crossroads Enforcement
Parking lot
The Riverbank Police Services/Sheriffs Department has been authorized to start enforcing the vehicle code laws in the Crossroads parking lot. - photo by VIRGINIA STILL/THE NEWS

Even though it is considered private property, a parking lot, Riverbank Police Services personnel will begin more strictly enforcing various ‘rules of the road’ at the Crossroads Shopping Center in Riverbank.

California Vehicle Code Sections: 22350 (Basic Speed Law), 23103 (Reckless Driving), 23109 (Speed Contests) and Division 16.5 (Off Highway Vehicles) will be enforced in the shopping center, based on a recent 4-0 vote of the Riverbank City Council. Council member Leanne Jones Cruz was absent for the session, resulting in just the four votes being cast.

The parking lot at the Crossroads Shopping Center is a private parking facility, but Browman Development Company, Inc. and First Riverbank L.P. have formally requested the enforcement of California Vehicle Codes on the property.

Information provided in the council agenda reviewed the process for enforcing the codes on private property, including the need for a public hearing and the requirement for the parking lot to be posted with signs indicating that the vehicle codes will be enforced.

“In essence, Browman Development has asked the Sheriff’s Department to enforce traffic laws at the crossroads shopping center,” said Jill Anderson, Riverbank City Manager.” “The purpose of this item is to give the Sherriff’s department the authority to do that.”

“This item was brought forth to the City of Riverbank Police Department Police Services by many different people including people that utilize the retail services of Crossroads, also businesses there requesting that we do something about the speed and driving problems that they have inside the Crossroads Shopping Center,” stated Deputy Gary Vernon.

Vernon explained that pedestrians have been struck; there have been several vehicle collisions, and vehicles in the parking lot driving through at dangerous speeds. The backside of the shopping center is also of concern due to people driving at excessively high speeds and there are no speed limit signs.

Vernon added that the goal with the new enforcement effort is so that “officers could focus their time there and again try to target public safety in areas that are dangerous.”

Prior to the ordinance being passed the officers were only able to enforce the drunk driving laws since the parking facility is private property.

Now that this resolution has passed there will be signs posted at all the entrances and a few additional speed bumps will be installed.