A Los Angeles city councilman called Friday for a re-evaluation of “crosswalk stings” in which police officers ramp up citations issued to pedestrians who begin crossing the street after the crossing signal countdown begins.
Councilman Mike Bonin said he wants the Los Angeles Police Department to rethink its handling of violations by pedestrians who begin crossing the street after the green walk signal has switched to a red, flashing palm and a countdown.
“It defies common sense to ticket someone who is entering a crosswalk as the countdown begins when they still have time to cross the street safely without disrupting traffic,” Bonin said in a statement.
He added that while “pedestrian safety is paramount … if we are going to be doing ‘crosswalk stings,’ I want to be sure we are focusing on busting drivers who don’t yield to people in the crosswalk.”
He said “excessive and expensive tickets” discourage people from walking in Los Angeles.”
Bonin’s motion was seconded by Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents downtown Los Angeles, where recent complaints have arisen about crosswalk citations.
The motion calls on Los Angeles Police Department officials to report to the City Council on their reasons for targeting pedestrians for these violations and explain how they determine whether these enforcement efforts lead to better traffic safety.
Bonin’s motion says questions have been raised as to whether these enforcement efforts actually improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers, while other concerns have been raised about the severity of the penalties, whether some neighborhoods are targeted more than others and whether drivers are getting an equal amount of attention from traffic officers.
The motion says the state law governing pedestrian traffic laws dates back to 1982, and has “not kept pace with the changing utilization of our public streets, the increased use of our public sidewalks and more modern technologies such as the flashing red countdown signal.”
— City News Service