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Sheriff's office: county will step up ebike and dirt-bike enforcement; new speed trailers arriving
Summary
A county sergeant told the Otsego council that the sheriff’s office is increasing enforcement of high-speed ebikes and off-road vehicles, working from complaints and new speed-trailer deployments; the office is prioritizing egregious behavior and age requirements under state statute.
A Wright County sergeant told the City of Otsego council on July 28 that the sheriff’s office is stepping up enforcement of electric bicycles, dirt bikes and other motorized devices after multiple recent complaints and incidents.
The sergeant said the department received several different reports and is using a mix of tools, including newly acquired speed trailers and targeted patrols, to address complaints. “One of the speed trailers... is a covert one that literally just gets set up on a post, and it has, like, a little radar thing on it and just receives data,” the sergeant said. He said the office is coordinating placement of trailers and patrols with local priorities.
On enforcement strategy, the sergeant said the office is prioritizing the most dangerous conduct and will weigh the public-safety risk and the age of operators. “The state statute doesn't differentiate for ebikes. It just says you have to be 15,” he said, noting that devices without pedals may be treated as dirt bikes or motor vehicles under enforcement practice. The office has also begun using non‑display trailers to collect data so the public doesn’t treat a visible display as a challenge.
The sergeant described specific incidents — including a group of young riders fleeing from police — and said the sheriff’s office and county partners are discussing a consistent countywide approach. The council and staff discussed placement of speed trailers, enforcement philosophy, and the need to balance youth engagement with public safety.
No ordinance change was proposed at the meeting; the sheriff’s office said it will continue incident-driven enforcement, coordinate with the city and deploy equipment to priority locations.
