Law to be out in force for the 4th

MAT-SU — If you’re going to be out recreating this Fourth of July weekend, make sure you behave yourself; law enforcement isn’t taking a vacation.

Alaska State Troopers on Thursday announced plans to step up patrols over the holiday weekend, especially on the Kenai Peninsula.

“There’s some people that choose to go north, but certainly the vast majority of activity happens on the Kenai Peninsula every year,” said AST spokeswoman Megan Peters.

But just because there will be extra troopers on the Kenai doesn’t mean the Valley’s law enforcement will be neglected.

“We’re not going to void the Valley out of law enforcement,” Peters said. “There also is still a need present in other parts of the state.”

Wildlife troopers will be keeping an eye on fishermen — what few there are, considering most Valley waterways are closed to salmon fishing. But they’ll also be checking in campsites, making sure revelers keep a lid on the partying.

Adding to the activity will be a group of 100 or so motorcyclists and their retinues competing in the first Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. The riders aren’t exactly racing, according to the event’s organizers. They’re expected to follow the speed limit. It’s more a test of navigational abilities. The challenge is due to wrap up Sunday, although the Homer Tribune reported Wednesday that some drivers have already crossed the finish line.

Cmdr. Tom Remaley with the Palmer Police Department, a motorcycle enthusiast himself, said he doesn’t expect the Hoka Hey will mean much for his department since, from what he’s been told, the route goes through Fairbanks, then down the Parks Highway.

“There could be some that come through Palmer,” Remaley said, adding that he assumed other groups riding with them but not competing may take a different route.

Motorcycles are obviously smaller than passenger cars, Remaley said, and people sometimes have trouble seeing them. He urges people to be exceptionally vigilant this weekend.

“Drive defensively. Put the phone down,” Remaley said. “All of these things they do other than drive they need to not do — especially on a busy weekend,” he said.

Typically, he said, Palmer doesn’t see a lot of increased activity on the Fourth, except for fireworks calls.

“If we get called, we will be there to tell them, ‘You’ve got to put it away,’” Remaley said.

The ban on fireworks in the Mat-Su Borough, except in the city of Houston, remains in effect for the Fourth. The other two cities only relax the rules on New Year’s.

In Wasilla, police department spokesman Rick Manrique said his department gets its share of fireworks calls as well. But unlike Palmer, Wasilla has a major thoroughfare to popular recreation spots.

“We get a lot of folks making their way to the fireworks stands and a lot of them have been drinking,” Manrique said, recalling a fatal wreck he worked a few years back involving a driver who was drunk, high and going to buy fireworks.

“Watch for other drunk drivers and have a [designated driver] if they’re going to party,” Manrique said, summarizing his advice for revelers. Hopefully, he said, “they have reservations if they’re camping somewhere, because it’s going to be busy.”

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.