Folsom police cite spike in juvenile e‑bike incidents; council asks for code changes in December

Lieutenant Jake Verhalo of the Folsom Police Department told the City Council Nov. 12 that calls for service tied to electric conveyances have surged, concentrating in several park and retail hotspots and largely involving juveniles.

"From 2020 to '25, there's been about almost a 200% increase in e‑bike sales across the United States," Verhalo said, and described a local rise from 23 calls in 2023 to 350 calls through October 2025. He said more than 90% of those calls involve juveniles and that collisions rose from four in 2023 to 12 in 2025, with juveniles identified as the proximate cause in roughly three‑quarters of those collisions.

The presentation outlined classifications under California law — class 1, 2 and 3 e‑bikes and the separately regulated e‑motorcycles that require registration and a motorcycle endorsement — and summarized enforcement and education steps the department has taken, including targeted school blitzes that produced warnings and two citations at local middle schools.

Council members and members of the public described recurring problems on the city's trails and in parks, naming Economy Park and the Palladio district as recurring hotspots. James (Jim) Kirstein, a longtime trail user, said the combination of narrow trails, older walkers and young riders traveling at 15+ mph creates hazardous situations: "This is very scary when we are trying to stay healthy," he said.

Robert Goss of Friends of Folsom Parkways urged the city to prohibit e‑bikes in sensitive natural trails and cited trail damage from class‑2 throttle bikes. Councilmembers suggested a mix of measures: more signage, stiffer fines for speed violations, targeted enforcement using motorcycle officers and drones to follow repeat offenders to their addresses, and a possible local permitting and decal program tied to a parent's driver license.

Police said some jurisdictions issue local permits and vehicle decals; the department also said officers may impound unlawful e‑motorcycles on the spot. Verhalo and other staff said they plan to return to the council Dec. 9 with a specific municipal code proposal and that the department is preparing pre‑holiday outreach to parents.

The council did not take formal action Nov. 12 but unanimously agreed to receive a staff proposal in December.

What happens next: Staff will return Dec. 9 with a proposed municipal code amendment and proposed enforcement/education measures. The department urged residents to call the police non‑emergency line when incidents occur so officers can respond in real time.