Phoenix pedestrians who step into the street outside a crosswalk are no longer guaranteed a free verbal warning. Police can now write citations on the spot for people who cross or stand in roadways outside marked crosswalks, after the City Council changed local law in December 2025 to remove the old requirement that officers issue a warning first. The shift could change how encounters play out at busy intersections and along busy medians.
Council rewrote the jaywalking rule
City Council approved an ordinance in December 2025 that updates Phoenix City Code Section 36-128 and removes the prior warning requirement for pedestrians who cross or stop in a roadway. According to the City Council report, the measure, known as Ordinance G-7468, was adopted on December 17, 2025.
Police say discretion remains
Lieutenant Seth Jahnke with the Phoenix Police Department told ABC15 that officers will still have discretion and can choose to warn, educate, or cite depending on the situation. Jahnke said the department expects officers to rely on their judgment when deciding whether a citation is necessary.
Enforcement paired with new crossings
Local coverage notes that the ordinance lets officers issue a ticket on first contact instead of waiting for repeat behavior. Arizona's Family reports that the change coincides with a plan to spend roughly $5.6 million to install 10 pedestrian-activated HAWK crossings in high-traffic corridors.
Why the city says it acted
City leaders have pointed to a steep pedestrian toll in Phoenix when arguing for new safety steps. Federal crash data compiled in NHTSA's traffic report show the city recorded 117 pedestrian fatalities in 2022, a pedestrian fatality rate of about 7.12 per 100,000 residents, figures city staff cite when they outline safety priorities.
Legal consequences
Under the municipal code, a first violation of Section 36-128 is treated as a civil traffic offense, and repeat violations can escalate to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The council's amendment removes the earlier requirement that a warning be given before a citation. The ordinance and current code language are available in the city's code record for Section 36-128.
What to expect on Phoenix streets
Research and federal guidance note that enforcement alone rarely eliminates pedestrian crashes, and that engineering, signal timing and physical infrastructure also matter, according to a Federal Highway Administration review. City staff told council that removing the warning requirement is intended to give officers a clearer tool to address people stopping or remaining in medians and other dangerous places. Residents and advocates will likely be watching how enforcement and the new crosswalks affect safety in the months ahead.
