NEW YORK (AP) — The nation's largest police department wants amateur acrobats who perform on New York City subway trains to take a seat.

So far this year, the New York Police Department has arrested more than 240 people on misdemeanor charges related to acrobatics. This time last year, police had made fewer than 40 such arrests.

The subway acrobats say they're just out to entertain and make a little cash in donations. But police say they create a safety risk for passengers by flipping, somersaulting and pole-dancing in crowded cars.

The NYPD's disapproval is rooted in Police Commissioner William Bratton's belief that low-grade lawlessness can cultivate a greater sense of disorder and embolden more dangerous offenders.

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(Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo)