NYPD Officers "livid" that union has reduced number of "get out of jail free" cards

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Retweeted by NotFondOfSharksHat: https://twitter.com/Popehat

In light of NYPD officers being angry they get less "get out of jail free cards" to give their friends and family, I'm reposting my @washingtonpost piece about how dangerous the insular social world of police is https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/11/30/why-blue-lives-matter/ …

Link to tweet

‘Blue lives’ do matter — that’s the problem
How police identity trumps public interest

By Matthew Guariglia November 30, 2017

NYPD Officers “livid” that union has reduced number of “get out of jail free cards” each officer can provide to family and friends from 32-20.

Link to tweet

Police union slashes number of ‘get out of jail free’ cards issued

By Dean Balsamini January 21, 2018 | 12:29am | Updated

The city’s police-officers union is cracking down on the number of “get out of jail free” courtesy cards distributed to cops to give to family and friends.

Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association boss Pat Lynch slashed the maximum number of cards that could be issued to current cops from 30 to 20, and to retirees from 20 to 10, sources told The Post.

The cards are often used to wiggle out of minor trouble such as speeding tickets, the theory being that presenting one suggests you know someone in the NYPD.

The rank and file is livid.

[Orrex]

1. This is one of those "not sure if satire" pieces.

I've read the linked articles, and I still can't tell.

How the fuck is this legal?

[brush]

3. They exist. I have some family members on the job who attest. They're not referred to...

as "get out of jail" cards though.

[Orrex]

5. Yikes. I believe you, alas

In much the same way that we've always heard that cops have a monthly quota for traffic tickets. This is often dismissed as bullshit, naturally, but then a friend who was a cop flat-out said "of course we do."

Another cop I knew in the early 2000s once told me that he loves the job "Because you get paid to beat up n*****s."


In short, it seems likely that every horror story you hear about police corruption and racism is firmly grounded in fact.

[dalton99a]

2. $200 on eBay

Nice

[SFnomad]

4. How frequently does this "maximum number of cards" get issued to each cop?

Only once? Annually? More frequently?

[brooklynite]

7. They're annual. (see the illustration)

[Historic NY]

6. They are meaningless

unless and officer signs and puts his cell phone # on them.

[winstars]

18. Cards without shield #'s useless, Cards with shield # but not signed Okay, Cards with shield # and

signed with cell # = thats the one you want.

[Sanity Claws]

8. So it sounds like NYPD officers come from criminal families

or associate with criminals. Why else do you need get out of jail cards for friends and families. Anybody who needs/wants get out of jail cards for family and friends does not belong on the police force.

[Iggo]

9. Shouldn't than number be zero?

[dalton99a]

10. Eh, equal protection under the law?

[Fred Sanders]

11. Since this seem like warning cards, which is what they are, have been

around for years and not a secret. And well tracked when used.

There is something missing here...fake news until more info. for me!

[msongs]

12. sounds like a form of bribe or other illegal fixing nt

[flotsam]

13. There are 32K uniformed police in NYC and over 52K total employees

so with this new severe restriction there are only a minimum of 640,000 assholes who are quite literally above the law. What a cheerful thought!

[Baitball Blogger]

14. Proof that "No one is above the law" is another lie we grew up with.

[Ms. Toad]

15. Well, I'm livid that they get any.

You should not be able to get away with being a scofflaw because you happen to know someone who is a police officer.

[Baitball Blogger]

16. This should have made it into Greatest Threads.

What happened to "We are a country of laws?" What happened to "No one is above the law?"

And, yes, this is another sign of Two Americas that the Black Live Matters organization was trying to show us.

[Ms. Toad]

17. Yup. n/t