The NYPD will no longer arrest people in Manhattan for many low-level offenses as allotment of a recent initiative worked out with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s Office and the state courts.
That means unless there's some public safety concern, cops in Manhattan aren't going to arrest people for things like drinking or urinating in public. Instead they'll issue a summons.
That should shift about 10000 arrests a year from Manhattan's Criminal Court to a summons allotment.
Even people with outstanding warrants won't automatically be arrested and booked. Instead officers will bewitch them to court to immediately clear up the issue.
District Attorney Cy Vance's Office announced the major policy initiative in a late day press release Tuesday including quotes from NYPD Commissioner William Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Vance was out of town and his office declined to make anyone available to comment. A spokeswoman for the mayor referred questions to the NYPD. The NYPD did not respond.
Source: wnyc.org