To the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
Date ~CA ../ CC ✓
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Council Memorandum
June 16, 2022 0
To: Honorable Mayor Hall and; 1v1e bers of the City Council From: Mickey Williams, Chief of Po ice/
Via: Scott Chadwick, City Marlage:"
Re: E-Bike Safety Campaign (Districts -All)
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2022074
This memorandum provides information related the Police Department's e-bike enforcement efforts.
Background
On April 5, 2022, the City of Carlsbad adopted an ordinance requiring riders of e-bikes and other motorized mobility devices to operate with due care. The ordinance became enforceable in May 2022. This was an effort to reduce the number of collisions involving bicycles and e-bikes within the city.
Discussion
The Police Department began enforcing the new ordinance through education in May 2022. The Police Department's education campaign one-bike safety included messages on social media, collaborating with schools and parents, conducting patrols near schools, and implementing a safety education program. The new safety education program gives e-bike safety violators an option to complete a safety course in lieu of paying a fine after receiving a citation for a violation of the municipal code ordinance. The violator may attend a safety course that is coordinated by_ the Police Department and provided by an instructor who is certified through the League of American Bicyclists. Upon successful completion of the program, the Police Department is notified, and the violator receives a certificate of completion.
Additionally, the Police Department conducted two television interviews with media channels on May 11 and May 23 to discuss the new ordinance as well as the new safety education program.
On May 24, the Police Department attended a meeting that was hosted by the Carlsbad Unified School District, Scripps Hospital, and the Office of 76th District Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath, to present information about the safety program as well.
During the month of May 2022, the Police Department logged 72 extra patrol enforcement efforts in the downtown Village area and along the coast, and 37 extra patrol enforcement efforts at schools within the city, for the purpose of encouraging bicycle safety and educating the public about the new ordinance. Because it was intended to be an educational phase of the Police Department
Administration
2560 Orion Way I Carlsbad, CA 92010 I 442-339-2100 t
Council Memo -eBike Safety Campaign (Districts -All)
June 16, 2022
campaign, the Police Department did not issue written citations for the new ordinance, however one citation was issued to a bicyclist for running a stop sign and one written warning was issued for no helmet.
After a month of sharing the information about the new municipal code and diversion option, the Police Department began issuing written warnings and citations for violations of the new municipal code ordinance. In June 2022, the Police Department has logged 49 extra patrol enforcement efforts in the downtown Village area and along the coast, and 42 extra patrol enforcement efforts at schools within the city. As part of the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant, police officers worked an additional 20.5 hours, specifically to enforce the new ordinance. As a result of these efforts, the Police Department issued 21 citations and one written warning for violations of the new municipal code section. The citations were all issued to e-bike violators between the ages of 12 to 16 years. Of the citations issued, 17 were for not wearing a helmet, two were for not stopping where required, and two were for riding on a sidewalk.
Next Steps
The Police Department will continue to utilize the OTS grant for bicycle safety patrols. The Police Department will also collaborate with school staff and the community to identify opportunities for additional engagement, and to identify education and enforcement opportunities at the beginning of the new school year.
Additionally, a bicycle safety detail operation is planned for June 29, 2022, between the hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. During this time, detectives from the Family Services and General Investigations Division will concentrate their efforts where the Police Department frequently receives complaints regarding safety and quality-of-life issues where juveniles are involved. Their goal will be to offer education to the public, provide police presence to deter potential crimes, and issue citations for safety violations as appropriate.
cc: Laura Rocha, Acting Assistant City Manager
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Cindy Anderson, Senior Management Analyst