The long arm of the law has come for scooter riders in West Hollywood — and according to residents who are fed up with their reckless driving habits, it’s about damn time.
LASD deputies issued 23 citations to riders of electric scooters and bikes last month — by far the most tickets the sheriffs have ever written in one month. Only three citations had been issued all this year before the enforcement surge in May.
Pedestrians and motorists have long complained that WeHo’s scooter riders — particularly customers of city service provider Bird (and formerly Lime) — break the rules of the road with impunity, running stop signs, riding on sidewalks and creating obstacles by parking their devices poorly.
There were two reported collisions involving scooters in May, as well as five crashes between vehicles and pedestrians and/or vehicles and bicycles. Overall, total traffic reports decrease significantly from April to May. Melrose Avenue continues to be the street where most citations are issued.
Total arrests (130) were also notably higher than in April (107). The sheriff fielded 105 more calls for service. Their response times held steady, including a 3.2-minute average for emergency calls.
Pickpocketers in WeHo continue to evade capture, with only one arrest made all year. There were 39 reported incidents in May and 40 the month prior.
While there were slightly more Part I crimes reported in May than in April, there were fewer instances of theft in around a dozen categories. WeHo’s West Side was home to the majority of both Part I and Part II crimes in the city.
Of 103 homeless people who were offered support services by deputies, only one accepted.
| Calls for Service | Observations | Felony Arrests | Misdemeanor Arrests | Total Arrests | |
| January 2024 | 1,594 | 1,473 | 43 | 65 | 108 |
| February 2024 | 1,490 | 1,372 | 34 | 55 | 89 |
| March 2024 | 1,639 | 1,335 | 22 | 52 | 74 |
| April 2024 | 1,610 | 1,512 | 29 | 78 | 107 |
| May 2024 | 1,715 | 1,476 | 39 | 91 | 130 |
| Change (+/-) | 105 | -36 | 10 | 13 | 23 |
| Response Emergency (Time) |
Response Emergency (Incidents) |
Response Priority (Time) |
Response Priority (Incidents) | Response Routine (Time) |
Response Routine
(Incidents) |
|
| January 2024 | 3.5 | 75 | 9.1 | 319 | 30.7 | 1,183 |
| February 2024 | 3.9 | 63 | 9.8 | 313 | 28.3 | 1083 |
| March 2024 | 3.7 | 76 | 9.8 | 356 | 30.6 | 1167 |
| April 2024 | 3.6 | 88 | 8.6 | 381 | 27.5 | 1106 |
| May 2024 | 3.7 | 86 | 8.8 | 460 | 26.4 | 1113 |
| Change (+/-) | 0.1 | -2 | 0.2 | 79 | -1.1 | 7 |
| Pickpockets | Thefts | Arrests |
| January 2024 | 30 | 1 |
| February 2024 | 33 | 0 |
| March 2024 | 35 | 0 |
| April 2024 | 40 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 39 | 0 |
| DUI arrests | Traffic reports | Vehicle vs. pedestrians | Vehicle vs. bicycle | Scooters/e-bikes accidents | Scooter citations | |
| January 2024 | 3 | 67 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2024 | 5 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| March 2024 | 1 | 71 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| April 2024 | 2 | 79 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 8 | 55 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 23 |
| Change (+/-) | 6 | -24 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 23 |
| HOMELESS | January 2024 | February 2024 | March 2024 | April 2024 | May 2024 |
| Contacts Made | 90 | 132 | 126 | 102 | 103 |
| Services Offered | 87 | 131 | 120 | 102 | 103 |
| Services Accepted | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| PART 1 CRIME | January 2024 | February 2024 | March 2024 | April 2024 | May 2024 | +/- |
| Homicide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | -3 |
| Aggravated Assault | 15 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 11 | -1 |
| Domestic | -1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ADW Gun | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| ADW Knife | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | -5 |
| ADW Other Weapon | 11 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| ADW Hands, Fist, Feet | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| ADW Peace Officer | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ADW Child | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 10 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Armed Street Robbery | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Armed Robbery – All others | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Strong Arm Street Robbery | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Strong Arm Robbery – All others | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| Burglary | 36 | 20 | 30 | 25 | 21 | -4 |
| Residential Burglary | 10 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 | -2 |
| Other Burglary | 26 | 11 | 17 | 16 | 14 | -2 |
| Other Burglary – Business | 11 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | -1 |
| Other Burglary – Mailrooms | 8 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Other Burglary – Secure Garages | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | -3 |
| Other Burglary – All Others | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| Theft from Motor Vehicles | 19 | 29 | 21 | 25 | 32 | 7 |
| Vehicle Burglary | 14 | 26 | 13 | 14 | 13 | -1 |
| Grand Theft Unlocked Vehicle | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| Petty Theft Unlocked Vehicle | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Grand Theft Vehicle Parts | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Petty Theft Vehicle Parts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Shoplifting | 14 | 14 | 23 | 12 | 18 | 6 |
| Armed Estes Robbery | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Strong Arm Estes Robbery | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Grand Theft Shoplifting | 6 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 3 | -4 |
| Petty Theft Shoplifting | 8 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 8 |
| Other Theft | 89 | 54 | 67 | 88 | 87 | -1 |
| Grand Theft Pickpocket | 9 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 1 |
| Grand Theft Bike | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Petty Theft Bike | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Theft from Buildings / Other | 4 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 6 |
| Petty Theft from Buildings / Other | 69 | 35 | 41 | 61 | 51 | -10 |
| Locker Burglary | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Auto Theft | 21 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 204 | 148 | 174 | 183 | 188 | 5 |
| PART II CRIME | January 2024 | February 2024 | March 2024 | April 2024 | May 2024 | Change (+/-) |
| FORGERY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -3 |
| FRAUD | 14 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 6 | -4 |
| IDENTITY THEFT | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| SEX OFFENSES ‐ FELONIES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| SEX OFFENSES ‐ MISDEMEANOR | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| ASSAULT, NON‐AGGRAVATED | 20 | 13 | 20 | 27 | 29 | 2 |
| ASSAULT ON PEACE OFFICER | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| DOMESTIC ASSAULT, NON‐AGGRAVATED | 11 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 1 |
| WEAPON LAWS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | -5 |
| DEFRAUDING INN KEEPER | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| OFFENSES AGAINST FAMILY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FELONY SALE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF NARCOTIC | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| FELONY POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| MISDEMEANOR POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| FOUND NARCOTICS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 |
| LIQUOR LAWS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DRUNK | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | -3 |
| DISODERLY CONDUCT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| VAGRANCY | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GAMBLING | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DRUNK DRIVING | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -1 |
| VEHICLE LAWS ‐ MISDEMEANOR HIT AND RUN | 29 | 22 | 22 | 34 | 20 | -12 |
| VEHICLE LAWS ‐ FELONY HIT AND RUN | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| VEHICLE / BOATING LAWS MISDEMEANOR | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| VEHICLE / BOATING LAWS FELONY | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| VANDALISM ‐ MISDEMEANOR | 9 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 1 |
| VANDALISM ‐ FELONY | 20 | 13 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 3 |
| VANDALISM ‐ GRAFFITI / TAGGING | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FEDERAL OFFENSES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| FELONIES ‐ MISCELLANEOUS | 4 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| MISDEMEANORS, MISCELLANEOUS: TRESPASSING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| MISDEMEANORS, MISCELLANEOUS: ALL OTHERS | 12 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 173 | 130 | 134 | 165 | 154 | -11 |
I have lived here for over 35 years. My reflections on the city are that we are “FAD MAD”. If something is’ new and cool’ and it has to be “new and cool” we gotta have it! No trial runs, no due diligence. Just get some and be something the “IN” folks consider the next new thing(they don’t live here, BTW) who follow every trend and get mentioned!!!! And we do get mentioned…eventually.. as the easily influenced. Not the “influencers” we strive so hard to be! We do it over and over again. Our city does not age well. By… Read more »
Chole,
You are so right! We should rename WH from The Creative City to the Tik- Tok CIty. FADS. Playa Del Rey revoked the road diets as these created more traffic and idling cars polluting the air and causing undue anxiety on the citizenry. Maybe Erickson & the alleged (ahem) Byers will WOKE up, not a typo.
Scooters are just plain dangerous, to the rider and to pedestrians, because so many of the riders simply do not care about anyone but themselves whilst zooming through streets and on sidewalks.
Was the honorary titular mayor among those cited when he was seen riding on the sidewalk without a helmet?
Is there any evidence this actually happened? Where is the evidence besides a comment on a website?
Eyewitness. Saw Erickson in all of his pink hair ripping down SMB west bound. No helmet need just the SEE ME WITH PINK HAIR BECAUSE I NEED ATTENTION AND TO PROVE I PUT MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS.
I’m sure he was not cited…but we’ve both seen the photo! And he was definitely on the sidewalk and without a helmet! oh, and that pink T-shirt he was wearing was not flattering at all!
Scooter riders are not legally required to wear a helmet.
Here are the California scooter laws: https://www.facebook.com/WestHollywoodSheriffsStation/photos/a.153867804753725/1185088994964929/?type=3&theater
Mikie,
I saw him with the pink hair. Just advertising his commitment and to get attention. Fountain Avenue is going to be a traffic disaster and I hope the County puts a stop to his egotistic pet project of his. We never get a true count of cycle usage. Progressives do not care about our safety and I admire you so much for speaking out.
Not even 1 citation per day is considered “skyrocketing”? The pro scooter mafia on the council is having a good laugh over this article.
BRAVO for the WHSD & the required enforcement, it’s about time for all concerned!! That said, I’m all for the use of scooters as I own one myself, they just need to be used the way in which they were intended. They are dangerous, and made more dangerous by reckless riders having a free-for-all at the expense of citizens. Given their newest iterations, they are heavy, fast, & are vehicles, fun as they may be!
Happiest for Mikey, this should give her some satisfaction regarding the scooter issue.
The biggest crime is that if you’re over five years old, you just look silly on a scooter. Grow up and buy a car or take the bus. Can’t afford it? Get a second job, because adults on scooters just look moronic and are a huge nuisance, especially when they’re riding these toys on our sidewalks.
They look fine. Go to most European cities and you will see plenty of people using scooters, bikes, rollerblades.
Some people actively choose not to drive a car- I know you will never get this idea through you thick skull but it’s true!
It seems like you are the one that needs to grow up. You’re stuck in some weird 1980’s time warp and you cannot accept change.
This is the city’s goal 🙂 once the homeless housing opens by CVS numbers will skyrocket even higher that will in turn build a case for an expansion of the said project. I wonder if Weho Bistro is already looking for new space…
It’s about damn time that they started finally citing scooter riders! And were the citations only for the riders? What about riders who abandon the scooters in pedestrians’ way? It still isn’t enough, but it’s a start, and I hope it continues! Meanwhile, when is the city going to start putting up large visible signs telling people “no scooter riding on the sidewalk” rather than those pathetic sidewalk stencils? Interestingly, one of my friends took a picture of our mayor on his scooter, and he was on the sidewalk! And also regarding blocking pedestrians, our mayor is also shown in… Read more »
Thats great he is championing the use of scooters and delivery robots!
I’m glad we have him as a mayor.
Your snarky comments are very off-putting. I feel sorry for you.
How is my comment snarky? Please explain.
Am I allowed to have my opinion on scooters?