De Blasio Opposes City Council Plan To Decriminalize Minor Offenses
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- When it comes to minor offenses such as drinking in public and turnstile jumping, a City Council plan would result in tickets, not arrests.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is against the proposal.
"But the fundamental notion of we have to address quality-of-life crimes head-on is one I believe in," de Blasio told reporters, including WCBS 880's Peter Haskell, on Wednesday in the Bronx.
De Blasio Against Council Plan To Decriminalize Minor Offenses
For the mayor, it's simple: Enforcement is working.
"My concern is always to maintain quality-of-life policing because it has driven down crime," the mayor said.
Other offenses that would be decriminalized if legislation passes include urinating in public, bicycling on a sidewalk, being in a park after dark, littering, failing to obey a sign and making excessive noise.
"People could be impacted in terms of their ability to get a job, in terms of even maintaining their housing if they're in jail for seven to 10 days," City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said earlier this week. "The impact it has in the larger scope are things that have to be taken into account. So we want to minimize that level of interaction in a negative way with the criminal justice system for these nonviolent, minor offenses."
Mark-Viverito conceded that NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton does not support the legislation either, but said they are continuing to talk.
