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Los Gatos police expand e‑bike education and targeted enforcement as youth incidents rise
Summary
Police briefed the council on rising e‑bike use and safety incidents; the department has distributed educational brochures, partnered with schools for registration and training, and plans to use AB 875 (effective Jan. 1, 2026) to tow illegal devices and require online education before release.
The Los Gatos Police Department reported Nov. 4 that e‑bikes are increasingly common in town, prompting stepped‑up education and selective enforcement aimed at protecting youth and pedestrians.
Chief Jamie Field told council the department has emphasized school partnerships — the high school implemented a registration and mandatory safety course for students who park e‑bikes on campus — and distributed informational brochures across schools and community events. Motor‑unit and school‑resource officers have led briefings, curbside outreach and targeted patrols where officers observed illegal or unsafe riding, including wheelies and sidewalk riding by juveniles.
Field urged parents to recognize the difference between Class 1/2/3 e‑bikes and illegal high‑powered 'e‑motorcycles' that behave like mopeds. He noted recent incidents involving juveniles and a vehicle collision; in one case, two riders under 12 (wearing helmets) were involved in an accident on a sidewalk. The chief said officers take enforcement action where appropriate and emphasize educational remedies when possible.
State laws discussed: AB 1909 (unifies bicycle and e‑bike rules), AB 1778 (pilot or local restrictions under consideration by some jurisdictions) and AB 875, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026 and will allow officers to tow illegally configured devices and require an education module before release.
Residents and civic groups present at the meeting praised the police outreach and suggested additional steps such as making headlights automatic for motor‑assist operation, placing educational materials in local bike shops and expanding school registration programs at elementary and middle schools.
What happens next: The police department will continue its school partnerships and community outreach, pursue directed patrols as staffing allows, and use new state tools in 2026 when they take effect. Council members urged staff to coordinate with all school districts and local retailers to expand education and legal purchase options.
