Change Promised After Palm Springs Police Motorcycle Crash Injures A Dozen People

PALM SPRINGS, CA — Following an administrative review of a police motorcycle crash that injured a dozen people at last year's Festival of Lights, the Palm Springs Police Department Tuesday announced a series of operational changes aimed at preventing any similar occurrences in the future.

"We accept responsibility as a police department and we will make sure this never happens again," PSPD Chief Andy Mills said in a video message posted online announcing the completion of the administrative review.

He added that during the review, "there are seven things that we found wrong and seven solutions."
City Manager Scott Stiles said in a statement, "The police department is taking meaningful action not only to reform the way it operates, but to rebuild the public's trust."

On Dec. 7, 2024, Officer Kenney Merenda performed an "unsanctioned maneuver" and crashed his motorcycle into a crowd of people during the holiday parade, injuring himself and about a dozen other people, police said.

Merenda lost control of the motorcycle while riding around 6 p.m. at Palm Canyon Drive and Amado Road.

Merenda and at least two other people were hospitalized.

Multiple videos shot by parade attendees that night showed the moment the motorcycle veered into the crowd.

The administrative review released by the department Tuesday listed seven key findings that led to the crash. Most notably, it found the officer performed unauthorized maneuvers, explaining that he was "bumping up," which was described as an action in which the front of the wheel was lifted off the ground for short distances for entertainment purposes.

The other key findings were supervisory awareness and inaction, mission drift, breakdown in communication, normalization of risky behavior, inadequate span of control and officer fatigue.

The CHP Major Accidents Investigations team ruled out equipment failure in the incident, concluding that testing found no mechanical problems with any of the agency's motorcycles, according to the review.

Mills said various operational changes will be implemented moving forward. Those include:
-- "developing a clear citywide policy prohibiting any risky behavior by officers";
-- limiting police and fire vehicles to under 15 mph unless there's an emergency;
-- hiring a full-time special events supervisor to focus solely on large event planning and crowd safety;
-- outlining clearer protocols for communication between the traffic sergeant and motor officers during large events;
-- retraining all management and supervisors on the Incident Command structure; and
-- adopting a new fatigue management protocol.

"We are committed to ensuring an incident like this never happens again," Mills said. "The Palm Springs Police Department remains dedicated to accountability and the safety of our community."

Two additional investigations into the crash were also conducted, including a criminal probe by the California Highway Patrol that has been forwarded to the Riverside County District Attorney for consideration of possible criminal charges. The other is a still-pending Internal Affairs investigation examining potential violations of policy.