Police rethinking rabbit costume traffic stings after criticism

Glendale police continued a pedestrian safety sting on Thursday, but they dropped the use of a rabbit costume that had generated some criticism.

A sting on Wednesday used a police officer dressed as a rabbit -- a move one councilman described as “breathtakingly dangerous.”

On Thursday, Glendale Police Officer Tom Broadway dressed in a pair of shorts and T-shirt, a far cry from the furry Easter costume that he sported a day earlier. He walked back and forth at two crosswalks, one lighted and marked, the other not. All the while officers cited drivers who failed to yield, while giving them a rundown of pedestrian safety rules.

“I am happy to hear that they modified the sting and agreed that the idea of a giant rabbit — a total anomaly out in the roadway — is not exactly training our drivers to learn really anything,” Councilman John Drayman said.

The city was reevaluating the use of costumes as decoys, although they have not been uncommon at previous pedestrian enforcement campaigns, city spokesman Ritch Wells said.

Read the full story here.

-- Veronica Rocha

Photo: A car does not stop for a Glendale police officer dressed in a rabbit costume crossing the street at Central and Garfield in Glendale on Wednesday. The driver was pulled over for not yielding to a pedestrian. (Raul Roa / News-Press)

Comments

[lookatthebigpicture]

I don't see the big deal about what the person is wearing when they are crossing the street. The point is to enforce the law and educate the public. Why can't Glendale PD and other police departments get creative and use a bit of humor while doing so?

Where is the ACLU for this blatant rabbit discrimination? And where is PETA when rabbit's rights are not being upheld like humans? For shame, Councilman Drayman, for shame!

[david reyes]

There's our taxpayers dollars at work. Did the rabbit pass out candy at least?

[ellesdad1]

Ridiculous! Glendale PD has way to much time on it's hands.

[El Dabe Law Firm]

Good idea to drop the costume. It was a hazard.

[Ladyli1]

I think it's cute!

[Zach]

In a city like L.A. where people dressed in strange attire are the norm, I think a councilman that calls this "breath-takingly dangerous" needs to get out more. Maybe taxpayer dollars shouldn't be used to buy such costumes, but I don't really see the problem here.

[spatter]

It IS funny in a cop kind of way, but you know how dumb people are -- they'll just think they are only supposed to stop for people in rabbit costumes...

[stewart]

stupid stunt...

[bigleggedwoman]

What? I would stop for a 'total anomoly'.

[James]

All the while officers cited drivers who failed to yield, while giving them a rundown of pedestrian safety rules.

I wonder how much the taxpayers were ripped-off to hire interpreters to explain the rules of the road to those most likely to break/ignore/not understand our traffic laws.

[Michael S]

This is great! Glendale PD has a sense of humor.

[Trey]

Why call it a hazard? I'd think it would creatively draw the driver's attention to the pedestrian rabbit pretty clearly. That would give the driver a huge advantage at seeing, registering and then yielding to a person in the crosswalk. If you can't do that then you deserve a ticket! What if it was your kid at Halloween or on the way to drama practice at school? I applaud the police for that one.

[Mlyn]

The rabbit costume would be to the drivers advantage. Anyone seeing a giant rabbit in the street and not stopping should get ticketed, and they would never forget it!

[Paul]

If the Glendale police have this much time on their hands, perhaps they should layoff a few officers and save the city some money.

[xalexisx]

I think this was a fantastic idea - especially with the bunny outfit right before easter when more folks will be out walking around to church, parks, family event etc as well as more folks out driving to all of those events.

I commend the Glendale PD for being inventive and caring about pedestrians and actually targeting motorists for bad behavior instead of pedestrians as LAPD often does. Go Glendale! Keep up the great work!!

[david]

sounds like a good idea. pedestrians sometimes blend into the background and they are difficult to pick out especially if the sun is in your eyes. with a costume, the pedestrian stands out and if you don't yield you have no excuse. still, it does seem glendale police have nothing better to do unless the sting is being conducted at intersections where many pedestrians have been struck or killed, one is too many.