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The San Francisco Police Department is dressing up in inflatable chicken costumes to catch drivers speeding past crosswalks in a new stunt.
SFGate reported Monday on San Francisco police Lt. Jonathan Ozol wearing the costume while walking down a crosswalk on Alemany Boulevard near the intersection of Rousseau Street. The idea, Capt. Amy Hurwitz explained, is for drivers to take notice and yield to pedestrians.
Unfortunately, some drivers still aren’t yielding to Ozol.
"I don’t want them to get run over," Hurwitz said. "But the costume is so bright, it’s like, how can you miss it?"
The San Francisco Police Department is aiming to get drivers to yield to crosswalks. (iStock)
Monday’s exercise was the fifth one conducted over the last six months. Each featured an officer crossing different intersections dressed in a different costume, sometimes as a unicorn or Big Bird.
Hurwitz said each exercise has resulted in approximately 30 to 40 citations each with fines costing up to $400. Ozol similarly expressed disappointment at the high number.
"If you don’t see someone in a giant chicken costume, then we really have a problem," he said.
Despite this, Ozol added that drivers are appearing to become more aware as the exercise continues.
SAN FRANCISCO'S AGGRESSIVE CRIME CRACKDOWN SEES DRAMATIC DROP IN CAR BREAK-INS
Police officers have been dressing up in costumes that include an inflatable chicken or Big Bird. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"The exercise has been featured in police newsletters, and in fact, after police performed the exercise at the same crosswalk previously, someone with a sense of humor put up a ‘chicken crossing’ sign nearby," SFGate reported.
"It’s having an impact," Ozol said. "Drivers seem more aware, more cognizant. Certainly when they see the chicken."
Fox News Digital reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for a comment.
Rising crime has been a significant issue in San Francisco over the last few years. In 2023, homicide rates rose by 83% with overall violent crime rate rising by 4%.
San Francisco crime has been trending downward according to data from the police department. (iStock)
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However, crime data from the San Francisco Police Department has indicated crime rates are going down compared to this time last year.
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