City Explores Contract Officers for E-Bike Enforcement at Public Safety Forum

Hermosa Beach could deploy dedicated code enforcement officers on foot to cite e-bike violations under proposal discussed at forum

City officials are exploring hiring contract code enforcement officers specifically to address e-bike violations, Police Chief Landon Phillips revealed at a well-attended Public Safety Forum on November 13.

The contract officers would patrol on foot at targeted locations including the Strand, Pier Plaza, and problem intersections, providing more consistent enforcement at lower cost and with greater flexibility than the city's own full-time officers.

"It's a possibility we're exploring right now," Chief Phillips told residents gathered at City Hall. "These people are licensed to write citations. The cost would be considerably less than police officers."

The two-hour forum — which Mayor Rob Saemann called possibly the first of its kind in recent times — brought together the mayor, Chief Phillips, and Interim City Manager Steve Napolitano to address public safety concerns that dominated Saemann's recent Town Hall meeting.

Resources and Enforcement

Chief Phillips outlined the department's resources. Of 67 full-time employees, 38 are sworn officers. That includes five command staff and detectives, leaving 27 patrol officers — including just two dedicated traffic officers. With officers in training or the academy, the number available for day-to-day patrol can drop to as few as 16 citywide.

Despite limited staffing, enforcement has increased since the City Council passed an urgency ordinance in June 2024 prohibiting riding e-bikes in an "unsafe manner" and allowing officers to impound bikes. Since then, police have issued 33 citations specifically for reckless riding and impounded 19 e-bikes. Recent targeted operations issued 33 citations in a single day two weeks before the forum, and 40 citations the previous Tuesday.

Officer Keaton Dadigan explained that traffic officers handle far more than enforcement, including hit-and-run investigations, collision reports, and community complaints. The department also manages an $80,000 OTS DUI enforcement grant — the second consecutive year receiving such funding.

Crime Trends: Overall Decline with New Threats

Phillips presented encouraging overall crime statistics for 2025 year-to-date: overall crime down 4% for the third consecutive year, crimes against persons down 33%, crimes against society down 11.7%, and property crimes essentially flat at up 0.5%.

The department handled 25,550 calls for service in 2024, averaging 750 calls per officer annually. This year has seen 139 traffic collisions, with 10 involving e-bikes and six involving regular bicycles. Notably, only one e-bike collision on the Strand has been reported as a hit-and-run, with no other injury collisions involving e-bikes on the Strand. However, illegal firearms remain prevalent, with 20 guns seized so far this year compared to 24 last year.

A relatively new crime trend called "bank jugging" has emerged regionally. Crime Impact Team Officer Reyes explained that criminals watch bank customers withdraw cash, then follow them and break into their vehicles to steal it. Hermosa Beach has partnered with five neighboring cities on operations to combat bank jugging, though no arrests have resulted yet.

E-bike theft has also surged, with over 100 stolen this year. "In the summer, we're getting a lot of e-bike batteries stolen," Phillips noted. "People will lock their e-bikes at any bike stand on Pier Plaza and someone will come and pry off the battery."

The department handled 139 traffic collisions this year, with 10 involving e-bikes and six involving regular bicycles. Notably, only one e-bike collision on the Strand has been reported as a hit-and-run.

School District Partnership on E-Bike Safety

Dr. Susan Wildes, Superintendent of Hermosa Beach City School District, described her frustration with e-bike proliferation and the district's award-winning response.

"E-bikes are the bane of my existence," Wildes said. "Anytime you're at Hermosa Valley, you can see anywhere between 100 and 150 parked right outside in our bike cage."

The problem intensified after state legislation pushed middle and high school start times later. "Parents have to go to work. And so we saw a huge increase in parents purchasing these bikes as a manner for their kids to get to school," Wildes explained.

At Hermosa Valley School (e-bikes are not permitted at View or Vista elementary schools), students must complete an in-person certification course including a written exam and practical demonstration of helmet fitting, braking, and following traffic signs. Students who pass receive a sticker for their bike, which staff check each morning. Bikes without stickers are impounded and parents must retrieve them.

The program earned a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association. However, Wildes noted, "Our control ends at the city streets, so that's when we turn them over to you."

A Gang Problem ?

Detective Dalton Blumenfeld sought to clarify what he claimed were misconceptions about so-called e-bike gangs like "The Goons" and "Redondo Beach Killers."

"From my understanding and my investigations, these are groups of kids between the ages of about 13 and 16 years old," Blumenfeld said. "They come together, they ride their bikes together and they're basically go to put fear in people."

These groups are not established criminal gangs recognized by the Department of Justice. "I've seen activity highest in the previous years," he noted. "This year I have not heard a lot about them... but 2023 and 2024 was when they were at their highest."

The department's goal is accountability and intervention rather than incarceration. "My goal and our goal is not to put them in the criminal justice system," Blumenfeld explained. "It's to make them members of society when they become adults and get them on the right track."

That includes involving parents, pursuing restitution for victims, and directing juveniles to resources including the Los Angeles County CHAMP juvenile diversion program, which can require counseling and community service.

Frustrations and Solutions

Several residents expressed frustration about enforcement effectiveness. Phillips acknowledged the challenge of pursuing fleeing e-bike riders, citing safety concerns and liability. "Some neighboring agencies have pursued those e-bikes and it's resulted in some bad injuries. It's resulted in some lawsuits," he said.

One resident recounted being surrounded by approximately 15 juveniles and asked about self-defense rights. Phillips advised walking away when possible but confirmed adults have the right to defend themselves if unable to escape and facing assault.

The forum generated numerous resident suggestions including electronic messaging signs on Pier Plaza, GoHermosa app enhancements for reporting violations, body cameras for contract officers, and speed feedback signs on key streets.

Several residents questioned whether $500 fines deter wealthy families. Phillips noted fines escalate to $750 and $1,000 for repeat violations, and Beach Cities Health District is developing an e-bike diversion program allowing juveniles to attend safety training instead of paying fines. One resident urged the city to force parents to complete some form of community service with their children as a more effective punishment and deterrent.

Homelessness: New Tools, Persistent Challenges

The recently passed anti-camping ordinance has given police broader authority, claimed Chief Phillips, with 16 citations issued and four arrests since implementation. However, Phillips noted judges rarely allow holding violators in custody.

The grant-funded HB CARES outreach program has recently ended. The city continues partnerships with LA County Department of Mental Health, Homeless Initiative Court with Redondo Beach, South Bay COG's new HERO outreach team, and HB SAFE (Safe Alternatives For Everyone), a community group led by Commissioner Elka Worner and Cara Knight. HB SAFE (a registered non-profit) provides outreach during HERO's off-hours and can be reached at HBSafe365@gmail.com.

What's Next

The city will continue evaluating the contract code enforcement option, requiring Council approval and budget allocation. Phillips committed to ongoing targeted enforcement operations based on collision data and community input.

The Beach Cities Health District's e-bike diversion program is under development, and the city is relaunching its Neighborhood Watch program as a "community-led" initiative. The HERO homeless outreach team is just getting started.

The meeting highlighted the complexity of each of the issues raised. These are obviously not Hermosa's problems alone, and many of the solutions will rely on co-operation with our neighbor cities.

Mayor Saemann closed by encouraging civic engagement:

"Everything that happens in this city, good or bad, needs to be with the people involved. You need to come up and say something to us."

What do you think about crime and public safety in our city ? Does it feel as safe to you as it did a few years ago ? Do you agree with the police assessment ? What would you do to help to solve the issues raised at the forum ? Email us at newsdesk@hermosareview.com or comment below.