You’ll No Longer be Arrested for Public Drinking in Manhattan

You will no longer be arrested for drinking in public in Manhattan. You can, however, get issued a summons and eventually pay a fine.

But none of this will go on your criminal record.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr announced that the NYPD will no longer arrest people for low levels offenses, such as drinking or urinating in public, littering, or riding between subway cars.

The move comes after a call from Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to issue summonses instead of arrests. This will help police focus more on serious crimes and threats to public safety rather than minor infractions.