Vancouver police won't apologize for handing out more jaywalking tickets in the city's poorest neighbourhood than in other areas.
They've been accused of unfairly targeting residents of the Downtown Eastside, but Sergeant Randy Fincham says that's simply where most of pedestrian-related crashes occur.
"There is a larger police presence in the Downtown Eastside than there is anywhere else in Vancouver and what you'll see with an increased police presence is a larger potential for interaction with the police in issuing the jaywalking tickets."
But Doug King with the Pivot Legal Society accuses the VPD of using random street checks to nab people who have outstanding warrants.
"Is it really about public safety here or is there something else in play?"
Fincham says people with outstanding warrants should turn themselves in rather than risk getting arrested after jaywalking.