By Shauneen Miranda

The University of Maryland Police Department recently issued a number of jaywalking citations along Route 1, creating frustration among affected students. Several students said they weren’t aware they were breaking any laws in the moment.

Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas said UMPD’s mission is to enforce and educate people on pedestrian safety.

“If you’re going to cross the street, legally you need to be in the crosswalk and legally you need to be in the right of way,” Hoaas said.

Chloe Keller, a junior bioengineering major, recalled her experience receiving a jaywalking citation on Nov. 8.

“I was crossing Route 1 in front of Fraternity Row,” Keller said. “I saw the police officer on the other side of the street and crossed in the crosswalk, as I have been doing for the past two years because I truly believed I was following the law.” 

Keller said about eight other pedestrians crossed the street at the same time she did. She said that when they had reached the other side of the street, the officer called them over and asked for everyone’s IDs.

“I was taken extremely off guard,” Keller said. “I thought jaywalking was categorized as crossing a road outside of a crosswalk, so I was not expecting to be stopped by police after crossing in a crosswalk.” 

The police officer handed them each a $50 citation, according to Keller.

“We take this matter very seriously,” said Hoaas. “You can’t just walk into the intersection without giving that vehicle enough notice to stop in time.” 

Meigan Niu, a sophomore finance and information systems double major, said she walked across Route 1 when no cars were present on Nov. 8. She noticed a police officer parked at the end of Fraternity Row get out of his car and walk towards her and three fellow pedestrians.

“At first, I thought he was just going to tell us that we needed to wait for the walking signal and would let us off with a warning… I didn’t know that this was illegal because there is a crosswalk,” said Niu, who plans to fight against the citation.

Keller found the lack of information provided to her and the other pedestrians after receiving the citation to be unsettling. 

“I would like to say that UMPD is trying to keep its students as safe as possible, but I’m not sure that is the case,” Keller said. “If they truly cared about our safety, they would have stopped us before we crossed the street, or would have at least given us a verbal warning and explanation about the dangers of jaywalking.”

Hoaas mentioned recent pedestrian-related deaths at UMD and surrounding communities.

“Ever since those incidents, there’s been a lot of changes geared toward changing pedestrian behavior and improving things along the way,” Hoaas said. 

Students still expressed disdain for UMPD’s emphasis on pedestrian safety next to what they see as a comparatively low concern for other reported crimes on and off campus. 

“It’s very frustrating as a student when you receive multiple alerts that your classmates are being robbed at gunpoint, then less than 24 hours after an unsolved robbery, police are out in broad daylight charging students for trying to get to class,” senior civil engineering major Maya Kelly said. 

Hoaas said the citation is the difference between $50 out of your pocket versus the possibility of losing your life. 

“Our job is to help keep people safe and to remind them how to be safe,” Hoaas said.