Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lockport police outline education-and-enforcement approach for e-scooters and e-bikes
Summary
Lockport police described recent education efforts and enforcement tools after state rules restricted stand-up e-scooter use to ages 18 and older; the chief said the city conducted school outreach and a social-media campaign and will cite violators, while councilmembers urged tougher penalties for reckless riders and parents.
Lockport’s police department told the City Council it has combined school outreach, social media and citation authority to address a rising number of e-scooters, e-bikes and illegal ATVs in town.
“Last year, late towards the end of last year, we passed an e-scooter ordinance here in Lockport,” the chief said, noting that an Illinois law prohibits anyone under 18 from riding stand-up e-scooters and that municipalities may adopt ordinances to allow adults while also authorizing city citations for underage riders. The chief said officers carried out school visits before the winter holidays, distributed handouts and ran a social-media campaign that drew roughly 42,000 views.
The chief distinguished e-scooters from e-bikes and ATVs: certain classes of e-bikes remain legal but are subject to class-based age and speed limits and may not be ridden on sidewalks; ATVs and dirt bikes—electric or gas—are forbidden in Lockport and carry a maximum $1,000 fine plus towing and adjudication. “With ATVs and dirt bikes, we’re at basically almost a zero tolerance,” the chief said.
Councilmember Darren described recent near-miss situations and urged stronger enforcement and penalties aimed at parents: “I would much rather be really, really hard on these parents,” he said, describing children riding through blind corners and narrowly avoiding collisions. Staff and council members discussed statutory differences—the chief said Chicago’s rental-scooter program influenced the state’s 18-year restriction for stand-up scooters—then reiterated that the city plans to continue education while using citations for repeat or dangerous violations.
The council did not vote on new penalties at the meeting; staff said enforcement would remain a mix of education and citation as warmer weather brings more activity.
The discussion is expected to continue as officers monitor compliance through the summer.
