In Manhattan, people accused of committing low-level crimes, including public consumption of alcohol, littering, public urination, or taking up two subway seats, will no longer face arrest. The change, which takes effect Monday, means officers will distribute summonses instead of taking offenders away in handcuffs. The law will not apply to those who are a public-safety risk and remain arrestable offenses in the city’s other boroughs. City officials say the decision will mean 10,000 fewer cases each year, freeing up the city’s officers and courts to investigate more serious offenses.
