--- title: "NYPD arrest data: offense codes and law levels" description: "Prepare a defense-firm category map from NYPD arrest definitions. Keep offense codes, law levels, record counts, and unresolved mappings separate." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/nypd-arrest-offense-codes-law-level-defense-planning" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Services - Services - [AI systems](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-systems) - [Site build](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#site-build) - [Whole website fix](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#whole-website-fix) - [Content library with SEO](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#content-library) - [Working session](https://scalewithsearch.com/audit) - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Example scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#review-the-example-scope) - [Prices and terms](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prices-and-terms) - Industries - Real estate - [Real estate agents and teams](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - [Platforms, ownership, and IDX](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-platforms-ownership-idx) - [Search, content, and AI](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-search-content-ai) - [Inquiries, campaigns, and handoffs](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-inquiries-campaigns-handoffs) - [Buyer, seller, and local pages](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-buyer-seller-local-resources) - [Rules, privacy, and trust](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-rules-privacy-trust) - Browse by business - [Trades and home services](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-trades) - [Health, wellness, and animal care](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-practices) - [Law, finance, and IT](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-professional) - [Marketing and SEO agencies](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-agencies) - [Shops and manufacturers](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-manufacturing) - [Restaurants, shops, studios, and nonprofits](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-local-services) - Chiropractic practices - [Chiropractic and wellness practices](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-wellness-practices) - [Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-physical-therapy-clinics) - [All industries](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/) - Resources - Free tools - [AI readiness check](https://scalewithsearch.com/check) - [Free tools](https://scalewithsearch.com/tools/) - [Free Starter Kit](https://scalewithsearch.com/kit/business-memory-starter-kit.zip) - Guides - [AI-native library](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-native) - [Industry intelligence](https://scalewithsearch.com/intelligence) - [Office job guides](https://scalewithsearch.com/guides/) - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles - [All articles](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/) - [What changed](https://scalewithsearch.com/changes/) - About - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Scale With Search - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) - [How it works](https://scalewithsearch.com/how-it-works) # NYPD arrest categories: keep offense codes and law levels separate For a defense-firm planning review, keep the public offense classification separate from the level of offense. Then document your firm's own categories. A useful category map shows all three without pretending they are interchangeable. The NYPD current-year dataset describes a record as an arrest. Its dictionary distinguishes granular PD codes, broader KY codes, corresponding descriptions, law codes, and offense levels. These fields support different questions. [NYPD metadata and column definitions, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc.json). Use the public table to prepare questions for the responsible partner. The [family and criminal defense firm overview](/for/family-and-criminal-defense-law-firms) places that preparation within a wider review process. Your category map should make the evidence reproducible before anyone considers a staffing change. ## Give each field one job `PD_CD` supplies a more granular internal classification than `KY_CD`. `OFNS_DESC` describes the KY classification; `PD_DESC` describes the PD classification. `LAW_CODE` identifies law-code charges. `LAW_CAT_CD` identifies the offense level. Preserve those distinctions when you name spreadsheet columns. [NYPD dictionary, Column Info sheet, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc/files/f0dbff24-5794-4034-a52d-b091e8dd61a8?download=true&filename=NYPD_Arrest_YTD_DataDictionary.xlsx). The footnotes explain that some arrests lack specific law codes because the database does not include every law. A reported code can represent a broader grouping. Preserve that limitation when an attorney reviews the crosswalk. Do not treat every code as a precise statutory citation. [NYPD arrest footnotes, note 8, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc/files/62a746df-66ca-4603-aae4-46c02bac2972?download=true&filename=NYPD_Arrest_Incident_Level_Data_Footnotes.pdf). Table: Separate source fields before defining a practice category | Source field | Question it supports | Proposed review treatment | | --- | --- | --- | | PD_CD and PD_DESC | Which detailed classification appears? | Retain the original code and description together | | KY_CD and OFNS_DESC | Which broader classification appears? | Keep this grouping separate from the detailed grouping | | LAW_CODE | Which reported law code appears? | Preserve the source value for an attorney's interpretation | | LAW_CAT_CD | Which offense level appears? | Use a separate column rather than replacing the offense group | | Approved practice category | How does the firm organize its review? | Identify this as a firm decision with a version date | The last row is your firm's addition. It does not come from the publisher. Make that ownership visible in the worksheet and meeting notes. A partner may want both category and level in one table. That is reasonable if the headings explain both dimensions. A category total answers a different question from a level subtotal. Avoid adding those two totals together. They can describe overlapping views of the same arrest records. ## Start with the published counting unit The footnotes say that arrests involving multiple charges are classified by the top charge. Counting the displayed category therefore does not count every underlying charge. The same footnotes describe revisions, unknown values, and exclusions. Read them before interpreting a category total. [NYPD arrest footnotes, notes 1–3 and 16, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc/files/62a746df-66ca-4603-aae4-46c02bac2972?download=true&filename=NYPD_Arrest_Incident_Level_Data_Footnotes.pdf). For this review, write the measure as “arrest records under the stated source filters.” Do not rename it “charges handled” or “new defense cases.” Leave unique people, convictions, court matters, and private-counsel demand outside this measure. Suppose a synthetic worksheet contains 1,000 arrest records. Assign each record to one approved planning category or the unresolved group. The category totals should reconcile to 1,000. A separate level breakdown may also reconcile to 1,000. Their combined sum of 2,000 is not another activity total. Keep a reconciliation row in every review. It should show the filtered total, mapped total, unresolved total, and difference. A nonzero difference means the analyst must explain the calculation before the partner uses it. ## Build a small versioned crosswalk A crosswalk connects a source classification to a firm's planning category. Treat it as an approved interpretation. Record the source field, original code, original description, assigned category, reviewer, effective date, and reason. The following example is entirely synthetic. The placeholder tokens and labels are invented; they are not valid NYPD classifications. They demonstrate the worksheet structure without assigning a legal meaning to a real code. Table: Synthetic planning crosswalk, version 2026.10.28-A | Original placeholder token | Original placeholder label | Firm planning group | Treatment | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SYN-A | Synthetic source label alpha | Review group one | Approved for this example | | SYN-B | Synthetic source label beta | Review group one | Retain a separate source row | | SYN-C | Synthetic source label gamma | Review group two | Partner checks scope before use | | Blank or unfamiliar value | Original value retained privately | Unresolved | Include in reconciliation; do not infer | Give the table a version identifier before you aggregate anything. The version should identify a particular accepted map, not the date someone last opened a spreadsheet. Two source rows may map to one practice group. Preserve both rows in the crosswalk. Otherwise, the next reviewer cannot tell whether a change came from the source or your consolidation. Keep law level beside the mapped category. Do not derive a level from a label that sounds severe. Likewise, do not treat a practice label as an attorney's determination about any individual matter. This worksheet organizes a public aggregate review. ## Preserve original labels through corrections A readable display label can help a meeting. It should not overwrite the publisher's text. Keep an original-label column and a separate meeting-label column. If staff correct a typo in the meeting label, record that change. If the source label changes, retain both source versions with their observation dates. Those are different events and need different explanations. For this workflow, keep codes as source text. Avoid formatting that silently changes their appearance. Have the reviewer compare the retained values with the source dictionary before accepting the map. An unfamiliar label is a review task. It is not permission to search for a similar phrase and assign the closest practice group. Place it in unresolved until the responsible reviewer has enough evidence. Unknown source values also need a visible treatment. The publisher's footnotes explain that nulls can mean unavailable, unknown, or unreported information. Do not replace that uncertainty with a confident category. [NYPD footnotes, note 2, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc/files/62a746df-66ca-4603-aae4-46c02bac2972?download=true&filename=NYPD_Arrest_Incident_Level_Data_Footnotes.pdf). ## Test a category change before comparing intake Consider a second synthetic example. An earlier map placed SYN-C in unresolved. A proposed revision moves it into review group two. The period contains 120 records with that placeholder classification. Under the old map, group two totals 300 and unresolved totals 180. Under the proposed map, group two totals 420 and unresolved totals 60. The overall total remains unchanged. Nothing in this example establishes an increase in underlying activity. Prepare both versions for the same reporting period. This isolates the effect of the mapping change. Ask the partner whether the new grouping answers the intended planning question. Then recalculate the comparison period with the accepted map, if the retained evidence permits it. If recalculation is unavailable, mark the break in the series. Do not join incompatible category totals with an uninterrupted trend line. The decision note should name the old version, new version, affected categories, revised totals, and reason. Record who accepted the revision. A later analyst should not need to reconstruct that decision from a chat message. ## Keep geography in the table heading Choose citywide totals or a broad borough grouping for the public review. Put the geography beside the period and category-map version. Keep it consistent across compared tables. The dictionary defines `ARREST_BORO` as the borough of arrest. That field does not supply your firm's court-coverage definition. [NYPD dictionary, ARREST_BORO entry, checked 2026.10.28](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/api/views/uip8-fykc/files/f0dbff24-5794-4034-a52d-b091e8dd61a8?download=true&filename=NYPD_Arrest_YTD_DataDictionary.xlsx). Ask the partner to describe the practice's accepted geography separately. If that description cannot match the public grouping, retain the mismatch. Do not silently rename a borough total as the workload of a particular court. Avoid adding coordinates, addresses, demographics, or individual identifiers to resolve that mismatch. This planning exercise needs aggregate context. It does not need a person-level research file or a list of prospective clients. A citywide view may be enough to test the meeting process. Additional detail should answer an accepted question. It should not create identifiable small groups merely because the source permits more filtering. ## Define aggregate intake independently Before placing firm intake beside public totals, ask what an intake count means. A firm might choose first inquiries, qualified consultations, or accepted matters. Select one measure and name it exactly. For a synthetic meeting, define an inquiry as one accepted initial request under the firm's written counting rule. Keep repeat contacts, reclassifications, and inquiries outside the selected geography visible in the reconciliation. This is a proposed definition, not a claim about your current records. Let the responsible partner approve the practice categories used for intake. Keep the intake classification rule distinct from the public crosswalk. A broad source category may not fit the firm's categories without unresolved differences. Do not divide firm inquiries by arrest records and label the result market share. The two measures do not establish a common pool of available matters. Instead, write a question: why did these separately defined aggregates move differently? The [public-evidence planning overview](/intelligence/family-and-criminal-defense-law-firms) explains how aggregate intake can sit beside public activity. Keep confidential source records inside the firm's accepted arrangements. ## Prepare the partner's decision sheet A useful sheet has a short reading order: source and scope, reconciliation, mapping changes, intake differences, and proposed next question. Keep the unresolved group visible throughout. Ask the partner to choose among concrete actions. The partner might accept the map, return one category for review, request a comparable period, or leave staffing unchanged. The analyst should record the selected action without inventing a business conclusion. For each action, name an owner and the evidence needed to close it. “Check category three” is incomplete. “Operations lead compares category three under both map versions before the next review” is reviewable. Keep the accepted crosswalk and decision note with the firm's aggregate history. The [business memory guide](/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) explains how owned definitions and corrections can remain available for later work. Before comparing periods, also read the [NYPD quarter-coverage guide](/articles/nypd-arrest-quarter-coverage-defense-staffing-review). A stable category map cannot repair a comparison between a partial year and a complete year. Scale With Search can scope a bounded preparation function around these definitions, aggregate inputs, and partner review requirements. Bring the current worksheet and its unresolved questions to the written scope form. [Discuss the planning scope](/work) Continue the website review: [AI-native family and criminal defense firms: first functions](/articles/ai-native-family-criminal-law-first-functions); [Criminal defense website chat: where do transcripts go?](/articles/criminal-defense-website-chat-transcript-review); [Criminal defense website intake form: what to ask](/articles/criminal-defense-website-intake-form); [Criminal defense website call button: check the number](/articles/criminal-defense-website-phone-button-check); [Family and criminal defense AI rules: data, approvals, spend](/articles/family-criminal-law-ai-rules-data-approvals-spend); [Family law county pages without doorway content](/articles/family-law-county-pages-without-doorways); [Family law website calendars: review reminder privacy](/articles/family-law-website-calendar-reminder-privacy); [Family law website PDFs: review before publishing](/articles/family-law-website-public-pdf-review); [Family law website testimonials: review permission](/articles/family-law-website-testimonial-permission-review); [Attorney bio credentials for family and defense firms](/articles/law-firm-attorney-bio-credentials); [Law firm Google profiles: firm or individual attorney?](/articles/law-firm-google-practitioner-profile-plan); [Outdated law firm articles: audit before changing dates](/articles/law-firm-outdated-legal-content-audit); [Law firm intake analytics: keep client details out](/articles/law-firm-website-intake-analytics-data-review); [NYPD arrest trends: check the covered quarter before a staffing review](/articles/nypd-arrest-quarter-coverage-defense-staffing-review). [family and criminal defense law firms](/for/family-and-criminal-defense-law-firms): website and search resources. ## Related: family and criminal defense law firms - [NYPD arrest trends: check the covered quarter before a staffing review](/articles/nypd-arrest-quarter-coverage-defense-staffing-review) - [AI-native family and criminal defense firms: first functions](/articles/ai-native-family-criminal-law-first-functions) - [Criminal defense website chat: where do transcripts go?](/articles/criminal-defense-website-chat-transcript-review) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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