Overview
- The policy took effect Friday, allowing citations on first contact for crossing or stopping in the roadway or standing in medians.
- In December, the City Council amended City Code 36-128 to eliminate the prior requirement that officers give a warning before citing.
- Phoenix police say officers still have case-by-case discretion to warn or educate rather than ticket, according to Lt. Seth Jahnke.
- Coverage cites a report ranking Phoenix fourth worst nationally for pedestrian fatalities, which city leaders point to as motivation.
- The city plans $5.6 million for 10 pedestrian-activated crosswalks in high-traffic areas, while some homeless advocates criticize the policy as punitive.