The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office recently purchased six Recon E-Bikes which will be utilized in the Incline Village area beginning in the Spring of 2024. Of the six, two will be assigned to the Incline High School Resource Deputies and four will be assigned to Deputies working Incline Village patrol and special events.
“Implementing E-Bikes in a patrol capacity is the first by any law enforcement agency in Northern Nevada,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said. “The six bikes will help with traffic and code enforcement around Incline Village and allow Deputies to patrol areas in Incline which have been previously difficult to reach, including beaches, areas around Sand Harbor and trailheads.”
The bikes have a range of between 30-50 miles between charges and top speeds of almost 30 miles per hour.
WCSO Deputies will receive full training by completing a 40-hour Nevada P.O.S.T. bicycle training course. In the Spring of 2024, Deputies will begin to work with and educate Incline Village area E-Bike rental businesses on local laws and begin conducting education and enforcement of those riding their E-bikes and motorized apparatus on trails and sidewalks under Washoe County Code 95.365. Pedal assist e-bikes are required for use on trails.
Washoe County Code 95.365 – Unauthorized use of bicycle trails. It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(a) Operate any motorized vehicle, including, without limitation, motorcycles, trail bikes, or motorized bicycles upon any
bicycle trail except as necessary to cross a street, driveway or access road intersection without authorization from the director;
(b) Hold any competitive event on any bicycle trail without authorization from the director or ride a bicycle on a designated off-street bicycle trail in excess of 15 miles per hour, except during authorized competitive events, or in a manner which is unsafe or which may be injurious to the rider or other persons.