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Residents, committee press for tougher e‑bike safety measures and a mental‑health response pilot
Summary
Residents and committee members urged stronger e‑bike safety outreach and exploratory work on a police‑linked mental‑health assessment/referral team after public comments and a police briefing that highlighted enforcement limits and outreach plans.
Eric Peterson, who identified himself during public comment, urged the committee to take stronger action on bicycle and e‑motor safety and recommended exploring a mobile mental‑health assessment unit similar to San Mateo County’s program. “It’s still out of control,” Peterson said, describing repeated incidents he has raised at previous meetings and urging action on both safety and mental‑health responses.
Commander Gabriel Gonzalez of the Salinas Police Department described steps the department is taking on outreach and enforcement for e‑motors and e‑bikes, including bilingual brochures and a planned community presentation. “We need to pass the message out whether it’s over social media at schools,” Gonzalez said, and added that enforcement remains an option when devices do not meet equipment rules. Gonzalez also told the committee the department will seek funding to sustain two investigative specialist positions after a grant extension ends on 12/31/2027. The committee discussed combining education with enforcement and suggested using events such as National Night Out for parent‑focused outreach.
