New York Police Department officers give away and sell so-called "courtesy cards" that can be flashed to other cops like them to get out of traffic stops, arrests and other trouble with the law. The cards facilitate blatant corruption, not that you can do anything legal about it, and officers who refuse to honor them are retaliated against by their superiors. Officer Mathew Bianchi, demoted after refusing to honor a courtesy card produced by a friend of senior NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, has won a $175k settlement after making a fuss.
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.
Serious discussion about NYPD police reform is made pointless by stuff like this. To negotiate with overtly corrupt officials is an act of desperation; you may as well sign a contract with a dog.
