Pacific Grove police and fire chiefs outline e‑bike safety outreach and expanded defensible‑space inspections

Police and fire leaders told residents they are stepping up both education and operational responses to two public‑safety priorities: a rise in e‑bike/scooter incidents involving juveniles, and continuing wildfire preparedness.

Police Chief Casey Daceuth said his department has engaged directly with students, parents and school staff through smaller, discussion‑style forums he called "bike rack chats." The department has updated educational materials and is coordinating with the Pacific Grove Unified School District and a newly formed traffic safety council. Daceuth said California vehicle code restrictions and changing equipment types (type 1, 2 and 3 e‑bikes) make field enforcement challenging and that emergency room visits linked to traumatic brain injuries from e‑bike incidents are increasing.

"We have a collaborative meeting with the police department, members of the school district, and our traffic safety council...the objective is for a collaborative approach to putting a new PSA or public safety announcement," Daceuth said, adding staff aim to finish the outreach before the start of the next school year.

On wildfire readiness, Pat Moore, fire chief with the Monterey Fire Department, said the city partnered with neighboring jurisdictions on a community wildfire protection plan and increased inspections after recent regional fires. Moore confirmed about 1,100 inspections were completed in high‑severity zones last year and said inspectors are training to resume work in the highest severity areas soon. He emphasized a multi‑tiered approach—defensible space inspections, vegetation management and sustained emergency response—and urged residents to look for flyers when a property is scheduled for inspection.

"We'll give you the guidelines, but we need help from the community too," Moore said. "This is a multi‑tiered approach for fire safety."