By Pattrik Perez, Denver7
DENVER — Jaywalking in Denver could soon become legal if three city council members have their way.
“People are jaywalking all day, every day all over the city, but the citations are only happening in a particular part of the city and they’re only targeting a particular type of individual,” councilwoman Candi CdeBaca said Tuesday morning.
It’s one of the reasons she and fellow councilmembers Jamie Torres and Jolon Clark want to decriminalize it. They shared their proposal at Tuesday’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Right now, jaywalking is considered a Class B traffic citation, which can carry a fine up to $95.
“We are aligning ourselves with the state, as we currently have much more strict laws around jaywalking here in Denver, and we’re making it less of a priority,” CdeBaca said.
Their research found that of the 135 citations Denver Police have issued since 2017, 40 percent were issued to Black people, who make up only 10 percent of the city’s population.
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