Chinatown is making an impressive demonstration of community resolve, coupled with support from the Honolulu Police Department, in the fight to make the neighborhood safer for pedestrians.

Ever since a rash of violent crimes raised alarms among residents last spring, neighborhood leaders have strengthened their partnership with beat police officers. On Saturday, teams of police and volunteers fanned out through Chinatown armed with educational leaflets.

The goal last weekend: to warn residents about the dangers of jaywalking. Many people in multi-ethnic Chinatown are unfamiliar with urban traffic protocols in the U.S. and cross busy streets between crosswalks.

Some of the campaign involves "tough love" — about 300 jaywalking tickets have been issued in the first half of the year.

But there also needs to be raised awareness and, wisely, the organizers of Saturday's events worked hard to cross the barriers. Handouts were translated into Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Samoan and Vietnamese languages.

Chinatown is one of the city's most diverse districts, but there are others where residents could benefit from this kind of outreach.

Honolulu's police deserve praise for their cooperation with the Chinatown Business & Community Association in this effort. It should serve as a model to enhance public safety — and strengthen community bonds — for neighborhoods throughout the island.