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Murrieta Police detail e-bike enforcement campaign and safety outreach
Summary
Murrieta police briefed council on a social-media outreach and Office of Traffic Safety-funded enforcement campaign that has produced dozens of stops, citations and impoundments this year; officers recommended signage and local ordinances to limit sidewalk use in sensitive areas.
Murrieta traffic investigators told the City Council Oct. 21 that e-bike complaints have risen and the department is responding with education, targeted enforcement and grant-funded enforcement operations.
Traffic Investigator II Kurt Stickelman and Investigator Jared Matthews described common complaints — riders traveling the wrong way, operating on sidewalks where not posted, wheelies and reckless riding that impedes traffic — and explained state vehicle-code classifications for street-legal e-bikes and off-road motorcycles. "They define it as a bicycle with operable pedals and electric motor not to exceed 750 watts of power," Stickelman said when summarizing the vehicle-code definition and the three-class system.
The department is using social media, school safety presentations and targeted enforcement at known hot spots. Stickelman and Matthews provided enforcement results from recent operations: on July 9 officers made 21 traffic stops, issued 12 citations and impounded five e-motorcycles; on Aug. 19 they made 17 traffic stops, issued seven citations and impounded two e-motorcycles; and on Oct. 1 there were 32 traffic stops and 14 citations. For the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant-funded operations from October 2024 to September 2025 the department reported nine bicycle enforcement-education operations that produced 55 citations.
Council members pressed the department on parental accountability, the use of drones and whether cities can restrict e-bikes on sidewalks. Matthews said that parents can be held accountable when they allow an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle-type device and that the department uses drones and other investigative tools for certain operations. He also noted cities can adopt municipal codes that further restrict sidewalk riding but that enforcement often requires posted signage in the areas targeted.
Councilmembers suggested more visible signage in districts and asked for data on pedestrian collisions linked to sidewalk e-bike use; the department agreed to pursue signage and further outreach and noted that enforcement efforts are designed to be education-first for juveniles and to reduce harm while preserving community trust.
The police department will continue OTS-funded operations and monitor trends, and councilmembers encouraged expanded outreach and possible localized code changes if safety issues persist.
