According to official records, the New York Police Department (NYPD) wrote 14,298 summonses for administrative violations this last fiscal year – which ended on June 30th, 2015. If you think that is a ridiculously high number, consider that the previous year saw 21,870 issued. That is a huge drop – just about 35% – in only one year, so what is going on?
To understand why less civil summonses are being handed out by the police, the citations that are being written need to be examined. The majority of them were given to street vendors for simple violations, such as incorrect placement of their stand or failing to show their approved license. While these are technically criminal infractions, they do not pose an immediate threat to anyone. Thus, law enforcement extended a hand of generosity and kept the door open for people to make the corrections themselves without the need of an official summons.
To quote City Hall spokeswoman Ishanee Parikh, “We’re committed to reducing fines on unnecessary violations that don’t pose harm to New Yorkers or the environment […]”
On the Other Hand…
City agencies are seemingly picking up what the police department is leaving on the table. Just about every other agency saw an increase from last year. The Sanitation Department bounced up with over 400,000 summonses, a 13.8% spike.
Many of the citations included basic problems with keeping the city clean. People are held accountable for accumulated snow and ice on the curbs in front of their establishments, even though they might not be aware of it. Failing to scrape clean 18 inches from the curb can be grounds for issuing a summonses that the Sanitation Department is not likely to let slide.
If you have been issued a summonses, citation, or ticket that you do not believe is justified, you need to take legal action right away. Otherwise, you could wind up paying big money out of your own pocket. At Gannes & Musico, LLP, we have a 100% focus on fighting unfair citations, and we are backed by numerous 5-star client testimonials. Give us a call at 877.803.2603 today to learn how our New York traffic ticket attorneys can help you and your case!