A targeted law enforcement operation in Santa Rosa this week resulted in nearly two dozen traffic citations and several electric bikes being confiscated by police.
The enforcement operation was in response to complaints about e-bikes and e-motocross bikes being driven unsafely, the Santa Rosa Police Department said in a statement Saturday.
Police contacted 50 people on e-bikes or e-motocross bikes during the enforcement push on Tuesday, which centered around areas near Maria Carrillo High School and Rincon Valley Middle School.
Educational material was provided to riders about e-bikes, which have three classes. All must be driven with a helmet, and only riders aged 16 years and up are allowed under state law to ride Class 3 e-bikes, which have pedals and can go up to 28 mph.
Bikes with throttles that go faster than 20 mph and those without pedals are motor vehicles under state law and require registration. They cannot be ridden in bike lanes or on sidewalks, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.
Three e-motocross bikes were confiscated and impounded, and one motorcycle was towed, police said.
Four citations were written for different e-bike violations, and one person was arrested for an outstanding warrant.
The operation also targeted vehicle traffic violations in the school zones and resulted in 20 citations.
More targeted operations are planned for other parts of the city in the coming weeks, according to the Police Department.