Posts tagged courtesy cards
NYPD’s ‘get out of jail free’ cards are real — and they’re wrong
September 27, 2024 // Bianchi was repeatedly scolded by fellow officers and told by his union that the courtesy card system was customary and that it wouldn’t protect him unless he honored it. In addition to complaining to his supervisors, he filed formal complaints with his union and with internal affairs. The only action the NYPD took in response was to pull him off the day-shift traffic unit and re-assign him to a night-shift patrol unit. Eventually, Bianchi filed a lawsuit in federal court, which the NYPD agreed to settle for $175,000, blandly claiming that “resolving this case was best for all parties.” I’m sure it was. It was certainly better for the NYPD, as an actual trial would have been embarrassing beyond belief.
Cop who refused to honor the “get out of jail” cards that NYPD officers sell wins $175k settlement after retaliation
September 16, 2024 // The police department declined to comment, deferring questions to the law department. The Police Benevolent Association, NYPD's largest police union, didn't respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. The city's police unions have long faced scrutiny over the cards because of the appearance of corruption and their appearance for sale on eBay. Bianchi said Tuesday that he's since moved to a dayside shift but that his efforts to advance his career have been limited by the lawsuit.
NYPD officer cites ‘courtesy cards,’ used by friends and family of cops, as source of corruption
June 1, 2023 // A New York City police officer is speaking out against the use of “courtesy cards” by friends and relatives of his colleagues on the force, accusing department leaders of maintaining a sprawling system of impunity that lets people with a connection to law enforcement avoid traffic tickets. Though not officially recognized by the NYPD, the laminated cards have long been treated as a perk of the job. The city’s police unions issue them to members, who circulate them among those who want to signal their NYPD connections — often to get out of minor infraction like speeding or failing to wear a seat belt.