SJPD Announces Plans for 2024 Cinco De Mayo Operations

MEDIA ADVISORY 

The San José Police Department's objective is to facilitate a safe environment to live, work, visit, and celebrate cultural events including Cinco de Mayo weekend. Historically, San José has drawn large crowds of people who gather in celebration of the cultural holiday and SJPD is anticipating similar attendance in 2024. In partnership with several community organizations, city officials, and community members, the City of San José will have several sanctioned cultural events throughout the city.

To ensure families and visitors can celebrate safely, the Department will be deploying additional personnel and resources to ensure public safety and may employ the use of temporary road diversions. City street diversions will only occur when it is deemed necessary to lessen the impact of vehicular traffic in areas already impacted by significant pedestrian and vehicular congestion. The purpose is to ensure traffic continues to flow and community members can celebrate these events safely.

Every effort will be made to allow residents residing in or near the area affected by potential road closures to leave and return to their residences without unreasonable delay. Several city sanctioned events will have predesignated road closures. Weekly reminders of planned road closures and potential traffic diversion will be posted on SJPD’s social media. SJPD encourages the public to utilize the SJPD Cinco de Mayo Traffic Map to plan ahead.

In previous years, the Police Department received numerous requests from residents and business owners concerned about unsanctioned gatherings and activities that would occur when people arrived in San José from other cities during Cinco de Mayo weekend. The Police Department took a reactive approach to gridlock traffic, violent crimes, and vandalism by responding to calls for service and taking enforcement action where appropriate. This approach did little to alleviate the concerns of residents and business owners and resulted in arrests and citations.

SJPD has studied the crowd control measures that other cities employ during large- scale events of all types. The San José Police Department has developed a proactive approach to reducing gridlock and crime that relies on strategic traffic diversions as a key component. These traffic diversions are only deployed when traffic gridlock begins, or when crowds start to become large and unruly enough that they present a public safety issue. In the years since this strategy was implemented, SJPD saw a reduction in violent crime and gridlock traffic, allowing San José residents to easily move about and celebrate traditional Cinco de Mayo events, which is the goal of our efforts.

In previous years, SJPD has also seen an increase in illegal sideshows. SJPD will be dedicating additional resources to respond to sideshow activity. Sideshow spectators can be issued citations or arrested, and face fines up to $1,000. Drivers participating in sideshows can expect $3,000-$4,000 in fines and a 30-day impound of their vehicle. As in years past, SJPD will continue to employ zero tolerance for criminal behavior.

The San José Police Department asks those who will be visiting San José during Cinco de Mayo weekend to celebrate safely and responsibly. SJPD looks forward to celebrating with you.

 

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