NYPD, Manhattan DA announce they will now issue summonses for low-level offenses
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Good news for Manhattan residents who enjoy drinking alcohol in public or riding between subway cars: As of next Monday, you will no longer be arrested, thrown in a holding cell and arraigned in criminal court.
You will still have to answer for your actions, though. The New York Police Department and the Manhattan County District Attorney’s office announced Tuesday that people who commit these and other low-level offenses (such as public urination and taking up two seats on the subway) will now receive a court summons instead of a trip to central booking. Under New York law, people who receive a court summons are not taken into custody and are, instead, simply told to appear in court at a later date. Most people who appear in court on a summons end up paying a fine.
The New York Times reports that the change in policy could result in almost 10,000 fewer cases being prosecuted in Manhattan Criminal Court each year, allowing cops, prosecutors and judges to focus on more serious crimes.
The change should also improve how law enforcement officials interact with Manhattanites. “Being arrested and detained is a far different experience and can be a more negative experience than being issued a summons to appear in court at a future date,” Lawrence Marks, the state’s chief administrative judge, told the Times.
Manhattan’s move comes as the city, as a whole, is de-emphasizing certain types of offenses. In 2014, the NYPD announced that it would issue summonses who individuals caught with small quantities of marijuana on them. Meanwhile, the New York City Council is currently considering a bill that would send many low-level criminal offense to civil court.
