SA Police’s Operation Vulnerable fines or cautions hundreds of jaywalkers in the city – amid a CBD crime wave

Hundreds of pedestrians have been fined for jaywalking during a secret police crackdown – but Grant Stevens says his officers aren’t “taking their eye off the ball” on more serious crimes.

People jaywalking in the CBD. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists have been fined or cautioned for traffic crimes such as jaywalking during a secret police crackdown amid criticisms officers should be focusing on the CBD’s crime wave.

Official figures published today show 850 expiation notices were issued during a blitz last week on “vulnerable” pedestrians, cyclists, motorbike riders and scooter users.

City workers, business owners and pedestrians have been critical of police for not prioritising efforts on serious crime in Adelaide’s CBD – but Police Commissioner Grant Stevens insists his officers aren’t “taking their eye off the ball”.

Mr Stevens and other senior police defended Operation Vulnerable – a week-long offensive that ended on Sunday night – as a highly visible operated aimed at “targeting and deterring vulnerable road users from placing themselves at harm”.

Preliminary police data showed officers gave 355 expiation papers for pedestrian offences such as jaywalking.

Another 422 notices were slapped on cyclists, 41 to e-scooter riders and another 32 for motorcycle-related crimes.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has defended a crackdown on road safety that has fined many pedestrians for jaywalking.

“Operation Vulnerable is targeting vulnerable road users, not just pedestrians in the CBD, it’s a statewide operation,” Mr Stevens told FIVEaa on Wednesday morning.

Mr Stevens said police “weren’t taking their eye off the ball” for other issues that involve a police response.

“We don’t get police to sit in the office waiting to be called out to things and when we roster for additional policing activity, there will be more police out there who are able to respond to a range of different obligations,” he said.

Authorities are battling rising crime and anti-social behaviour in popular areas, including around North Tce

Police have flooded the CBD with more officers amid dramatically boosted powers.

One unnamed city worker told how officers appeared from an unmarked police car last Wednesday. The father, 37, said he was cautioned for crossing Franklin St at 9.30pm as he walked north on Pitt St.

“It was really bizarre,” said the CBD-based executive.

“There was literally not another car on the road. The officer … said ‘you’ve disobeyed the little red man’.”

A North Tce convenience store worker who gave his name as Suyog, 28, said police should target the area’s anti-social behaviour.

“I think police need to focus more on that,” he said. “Every half and hour we get people try and steal stuff in here. 99 per cent of the time no one is injured (jaywalking).”

Cafe worker Aimee Tulloch, 21, of Blackwood, said jaywalking occurred “fairly often”.

“It’s definitely a good thing to keep an eye on,” she said.

Another business owner said jaywalking was an individual decision and the police crackdown did not make the area safer.

“Police should have more presence in the morning, around 5-7am, because my staff don’t feel safe,” he said.

Bistro owner of 34 years Raffaele Simeone, 63, said cautioning against jaywalking will reduce accidents but raising awareness on anti-social behaviour was also important.

“It doesn’t make it a safe environment, far from it,” he said.

Aimee Tulloch from Toast Cafe says jaywalking is commonplace in the city. Picture: Keryn Stevens

There is no specific “jaywalking” crime under state law but officers can impose fines – most are $156 including $57 for the offence and another $99 Victim of Crime Levy – for at least 27 pedestrian offences.

“Unfortunately, the community’s understanding of what’s happened is based on what I believe is a fairly narrow set of reporting in relation to what we’ve called Operation Vulnerable,” Mr Stevens said on radio after The Advertiser published this report.

“Operation Vulnerable is targeting vulnerable road users, not just pedestrians in the CBD, it’s a statewide operation.

“Our physical presence provides a level of deterrence but you can only put so many police into each geographical location within the city. In addition to those obligations we do have other responsibilities … and we need to find that balance.”

While 422 cyclists were given an expiation notice, Mr Stevens said 165 were cautioned. Pedestrians received 355 expiations and 97 cautions, and e-scooters had 41 expiations and three cautions.

“You can’t just represent this as CBD activity and we are responding to incidents that result in injuries and death,” Mr Stevens said.

Police figures show 30 pedestrians have died in SA over the past three years. Another 739 have been injured since 2020 – 185 of those seriously.

People jaywalking in the Adelaide CBD this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Acting Assistant Commissioner Graham Goodwin said the results “reinforced the very reason why police conduct these operations” to cut risks on state roads.

He said while no “vulnerable road user” died last week, two motorcyclists and one cyclist were seriously injured.

“This is about road safety, and everyone needs to play their part in ensuring they arrive home safe,” he said.

He said each offender was educated about road rules so “hopefully this will allow them to make better decisions”.

“The results of this highly visible operation showed that there is a need for these types of (efforts) throughout the state periodically,” he said.

The Australian Road Rules, managed under the Road Traffic Act, defines a pedestrian as including someone driving a motorised wheelchair that cannot travel at more than 10km/h, a non-motorised wheelchair, pushing, and sitting, in either piece of equipment or wheeled toy. “If, while the pedestrian is crossing the road, the … lights change to flashing red or red, (they) must not stay on the road for longer than necessary to cross safely,” the legislation states.