NYPD: Pot busts down, public drinking up

NEW YORK, April 7 (UPI) -- Data released by the New York Police Department shows summonses for public urination have increased while marijuana possession busts decreased.

Court summons counts from the past four years released by the department show there were 4,161 public urination summonses issued between July 1 and Dec. 31 of last year, compared to 3,888 for the same period in 2007, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

The number of people cited for drinking in public also marked a heavy increase during the time period, from 66,885 cases to 70,948.

Meanwhile, summonses for marijuana possession decreased from 4,775 to 4,107 and disorderly conduct cases numbered 43,018, down from 47,730. Trespassing cases also decreased from 8,437 to 7,858 and littering fell to 2,901 from 3,216.

"Quality of life affects our economy, it affects tourism ... They're a very important barometer of life in the city," said City Council Public Safety Committee Chairman Peter Vallone, D-Queens, who requested the release of the police data.