The NYPD used an outdated, 11-year-old form to jail a person who should have been released with a court ticket, records obtained by Gothamist show.
The outdated paperwork predates 2020 reforms intended to reduce jailings — which can leave people detained for days — and gives officers several justifications for detention that are no longer supported by law. And while the NYPD wouldn’t say how widespread the use of the outdated form is, policy analysts said its continued use could potentially explain why the NYPD issues far fewer tickets — and jails more low-level offenders — compared to other police departments in New York state.
The form, which dates back to 2013, offers a rare glimpse into how police decide whether to release low-level offenders with court summonses or jail them until their arraignments. A copy of the document, completed in February 2024, involved a person accused of obstructing government administration — a charge that can apply to resisting arrest or blocking traffic during a protest. It states the person was denied a ticket because the person lived out of state, which is not listed under the current law as a valid basis for denying a desk appearance ticket, or DAT…