PA Williams criticizes broken windows policing resurgence and summons surge
Williams criticizes the continuation of broken windows policing under the Mamdani administration, citing a 3,000% increase in court cases for taking up more than one subway seat and a 29% jump in criminal summonses in early 2026.
It is also important to remember that policing tactics purported to achieve these declining reported crime rates can disproportionately harm the most vulnerable New Yorkers.
Under the previous mayor, the NYPD cracking down on low-level quality of life crimes such as taking up more than one seat on the subway and drinking in public.
This has continued under the Mamdani administration and has been criticized as a resurgence of broken windows policing, at least broken windows adjacent.
Broken windows policing is a debunked theory that strict enforcement on low-level crimes will deter more serious crimes later.
Last year, court cases on top charges of taking up more than one seat on the subway.
increased 3,000% compared to the previous year.
In the first three months of 2026, criminal summonses jumped 29%.
A recent analysis of the data by Gothamist found that almost half of civil summonses are tossed by oath, largely attributed to the practice of issuing handwritten tickets.
Though they are not criminal summonses, this raises questions about the efficiency of this crackdown on low-level offenses, especially at a time when any contact with the courts puts a non-citizen at risk of detention.