The New York City Police Department has come under criticism in recent years for arresting people for trespassing in public housing, often for little or no reason. The trespassing arrests are a variation on the city’s broader, and highly controversial, stop-and-frisk program. On Thursday, Judge Shira Scheindlin of Federal District Court in Manhattan added her voice to the chorus, ruling that a lawsuit challenging police arrests for trespassing in public housing could move closer to trial. The city had tried to have most of the plaintiffs’ claims dismissed.
