New York cops angry over reduction in “get out of jail free” cards

Maybe it’s because I’m not a New Yorker, but my first reaction after reading this report was to wonder whether it’s satire (it isn’t):

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.

“They are treating active members like s–t, and retired members even worse than s–t,” griped an NYPD cop who retired on disability. “All the cops I spoke to were . . . very disappointed they couldn’t hand them out as Christmas gifts.”

To be perfectly clear: New York City cops are complaining about being “treated like shit” because they’ll receive fewer (not zero) cards telling fellow officers to give their friends and family preferential treatment over everyone else. And I bet they’d get similarly outraged, just outraged, if anyone dared tell them how breathtakingly and openly corrupt they are.

Between this and “blue racism”, I’m starting to suspect there may be something seriously rotten with New York City’s police unions.

(via @nwmalinowski; retweet by @radleybalko)