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Sheriff and police outline education‑first e‑bike safety plan as Board asks CEO to research tools
Summary
After a months‑long spike in youth e‑bike injuries and a recent fatality, the Board unanimously supported a staff letter asking the CEO to gather best practices. Sheriff and police commanders emphasized education, targeted enforcement and partnerships with schools and retailers; deputies described seizure authority for modified/emoto bikes.
The Board of Supervisors on April 28 backed a countywide approach to e‑bike safety, including a motion directing the County Executive Officer to compile best practices and resource needs.
Sheriff Jim Freihof opened the item by describing a rise in e‑bike use and safety incidents. Commander Eric Tennyson and Detective Bradley Borden (Sheriff’s Office) walked the board through trends: rapid growth in Class 2 e‑bikes (throttle assist, up to ~20 mph) and modified models that operate like electric motorcycles (sometimes 30–40 mph). Borden explained local collision trends, noted summertime spikes, and recommended a mix of education, focused enforcement against illegally modified emotos, and partnerships with schools and retailers.
Tactics described: (1) school outreach and pilot safety courses (Huntington Beach and others) with sticker completion programs, (2) targeted enforcement that avoids vehicle pursuits (using plain cars to observe and bring in marked units once riders stop), and (3) use of a new 2026 state seizure authority for out‑of‑class e‑bikes that allows towing and custody for 48 hours with recovery fees that have driven parental engagement.
Public commenters (parents, safety educators, nonprofit program directors and victims) urged visible enforcement at school drop‑off, consistent school and retailer training, and requirements for training and equipment for youth. Nonprofit curricula developers described ready‑to‑deploy safety courses and certification systems that can scale to schools.
Supervisors emphasized the need to coordinate with cities, school districts and other law enforcement agencies and approved a board letter directing the CEO to compile recommendations and options for county‑level action and resource needs.
