Ripon residents on Fourth Street near Vera Avenue had unexpected praise for Ripon’s motorcycle traffic officer who was back on the street Wednesday morning with an eye toward moving violations.

Sgt. Steve Merchant said he received calls from citizens saying that motorcycle officer Mario Ysit was making a difference with his presence in the south central part of the community.  They told Merchant that the motorcycle was the most effective traffic enforcement in comparison to patrol units and speed limit trailers that make motorists aware of their speed.

The police cars are too easy to see and the trailers are only effective for a few days, they noted.

Officer Ysit made numerous traffic stops throughout the day to often surprised motorists who hadn’t seen the motorcycle on city streets for months.  The four-way intersection at Fourth Street and Vera Avenue has a history of many drivers sliding past the stop signs without stopping.

One Main Street resident said the traffic had been so loud by his home that he and his wife have decided to keep their front door closed so they could enjoy some quiet time.  They applauded the efforts of the motorcycle officer on their street Wednesday morning.

The motorcycle unit has been approved for part-time enforcement at the present time with full time assignments expected possibly later this year.

Merchant said residents on Shasta Avenue between River Road and Fulton Avenue have already requested motorcycle patrols after seeing how effective they are in reducing speeding.