A six-month e-bike report drew praise and encouragement from the Redondo Beach city council April 15 as police confirmed what councilmembers had seen anecdotally – further improved e-bike safety in town.
The city council voted 5-0 for RBPD to give another report in a year, and for city staff to draft a letter of support for a bill written by State Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) to ban e-bikes of 750 watts from roads.
Redondo Beach Police Lt. Brian Long, special operations bureau, presented statistics since the department’s last update in August 2024.
He tallied 150 calls to police in the past six months regarding e-bikes, the main reasons for alleged disobeying rules of the road, including stop signs and red lights. Police wrote 171 citations city-wide related to e-bikes, Long said, and impounded “several” e-bikes.
Only four accidents were reported since last August, two with e-bikers deemed at fault. Each incident resulted in minor injuries.
Police Chief Joe Hoffman, in a report to the council last August, totaled 135 e-bike citations in the previous six months, mainly for no-helmet, disobeying stop signs and illegal passengers. He noted then “a lot more enforcement stops” than the 135, saying warnings were sometimes given vs. a citation.
Lt. Long last week also talked about the RBPD’s efforts in positive e-bike reinforcement since last August, with 370 Redondo Unified School District students receiving stickers to allow them to park e-bikes at school, in a partnership between RBPD and the school district to educate riders.
Redondo police held two school bike rodeos in the past six months as part of this effort.
Chief Hoffman also spoke to the city council April 15, about State Assembly Bill 2234, a pilot program in San Diego requiring a valid I.D. and a skills waiver granted by the California Highway Patrol to operate an e-bike; for anyone who does not have a driver’s license.
He praised Muratsuchi’s bill too.
“These electric motorcycles, and that’s what they are, we need laws to get them off the street,” Hoffman said.
Overall, he saluted the legislature taking action.
“This issue can’t be solved on a local basis. This needs statewide initiative. And they’ve listened. And they’ve done it,” he said.
Mayor Jim Light asked about the state requiring license plates for e-bikes.
“Sure, we’ll take all the help we can get,” Hoffman said.
The chief asked the council to consider writing a letter of support to the legislature for Muratsuchi’s bill (875), which is now in the transportation committee.
“Great job,” said City Councilman Scott Behrendt April 15, as councilmembers and members of the public at city hall applauded Hoffman and Lt. Long. “… And it shows in the statistics. There’s been a marked improvement.”
Mayor Light said he has noticed improvements.
“What you guys and gals are doing is phenomenal,” said Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr.
Councilman Chadwick Castle, the father of an RUHS student, said he has noticed “a drastic change at the high school.”
“We can only take partial credit for that,” Hoffman said, noting the work of parents and the school district.
“Everything you’re doing, keep doing it,” Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic said. ER
