Bethany-area residents dealing with dangerous e-bike and e-scooter riders now have a new way to report problems without tying up emergency phone lines.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office announced July 6 that it has launched an online Traffic Complaint Form where community members can flag illegal or dangerous use of motorized scooters or e-bikes.

Reports submitted through the form go directly to the Traffic Sergeant, who determines what enforcement action to take.

The move comes as complaints about reckless e-bike behavior across the Bethany area have surged.

In June, neighbors reported a roving group of boys on electric bikes engaging in vandalism and harassment around the PCC campus and Bethany Shopping Center. KOIN reporter Mia Villanueva said a group of boys hid in trees along a Bethany-area road and threw a ball and rocks at her car as she drove past. The Sheriff's Office confirmed it was investigating those incidents.

Before the new online form, the WCSO directed residents to call the non-emergency line at 503-629-0111 to report unsafe behavior. The agency said the form reduces the volume of non-emergency calls to dispatch, keeping those lines open for genuine emergencies.

The WCSO described the tool as part of its broader effort to educate the public about rules and risks surrounding electric mobility devices, "helping deputies focus their outreach where it's needed most."

The urgency extends beyond harassment. On June 25, a 14-year-old riding an electric scooter was critically injured in a crash with a vehicle on Southwest Scholls Ferry Road near SW Loon Drive in south Beaverton.

The WCSO's safety campaign page warns that e-bikes are faster, heavier, and more powerful than traditional bikes, and that crash injuries tend to be serious.

The agency's "Don't Let Your E-Bike Bring You to the ER" campaign, launched in June 2026 and available in English and Spanish, provides information on e-bike laws and safe riding practices.

Residents who witness reckless e-bike or e-scooter behavior can submit a report at the WCSO Traffic Complaint Form. For emergencies in progress, call 911. For non-emergency situations requiring immediate attention, the WCSO non-emergency line remains available at 503-629-0111.

More information on e-bike safety is available on the WCSO's campaign page.