Key hearing nears in NYPD officer's suit against Staten Island superior, NYC over 'courtesy cards'

[Polybius]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A lawsuit filed by an NYPD officer on Staten Island claiming he was punished over “courtesy cards” could be headed toward a settlement, according to court documents filed in Manhattan federal court.

Officer Mathew Bianchi, formerly assigned to the traffic unit on the borough’s South Shore, filed the complaint in May, alleging he was unfairly punished by his commanding officer, and the city, for refusing to acknowledge every “courtesy card” flashed by motorists during car stops.

The city’s police unions issue the cards to members who then circulate them among family and friends. They’re purportedly used as a way to avoid tickets for traffic infractions like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or in some cases even blowing a stop light. Not officially recognized by the NYPD, the cards have long been viewed as a perk of the job.

The complaint, which names the City of New York and former 123rd Precinct Commanding Officer Andrey Smirnov as defendants — alleges Bianchi’s superiors retaliated against him for his stance against the “corrupt” practice. Smirnov currently is deputy inspector, and commanding officer of the 60th Precinct in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
In the 123rd Precinct, home to a disproportionately high number of cops and other city workers, the officer said drivers he pulled over for traffic infractions frequently displayed a card. “I see card after card. You’re not allowed to write any of them [up],” he previously told the AP. “We’re not supposed to be showing favoritism when we do car stops, and we shouldn’t be giving them out because the guy mows my lawn.”

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Interesting local case. To sum it up, an NYPD officer is tired of having to let people go when they pull out their PBA card. He got tired of repeat offenders, and ticketed them anyway. The final straw was when he pulled over the Chief's friend, was shown a PBA card, and ticketed him anyway. They retaliated, and he sued.

[msongs]

1. maybe the new york police "unions" need to investigated by the RICO crowd. nt

[Silent Type]

2. Sounds like those cards are widespread, WTF? With officer unless there is something more to it.

[Polybius]

4. There's nothing more to it

The officer is an honorable man, fairly giving out tickets when he sees a crime. He's tired of having to let someone go without a ticket because he happens to be friends with another officer. Makes sense, if someone is doing 70 in a 40, by all means give them a ticket.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

3. im hoping they do away with these cards or give them to everyone

[Gidney N Cloyd]

5. So what's to stop some enterprising anarchist from counterfeiting these cards?

[Polybius]

6. One thing:

I have gotten PBA cards over the years. The officer who pulls you over asks how you know the cop, what your relationship with them is, etc. Sometimes they call them (number is written on card) and ask questions only an officer of that precinct would know.

[Raftergirl]

7. I had one when my husband worked for NYS Dept. of Homeland Security but I never speed

so never had to use it.

The one time H was stopped for speeding he forgot all about it until the officer had already written up the ticket. The officer said since the ticket was already written up it couldn’t be undone.

[Polybius]

8. I've used them a couple of times

The first time the cop called the officer. He was kinda mean, but didn't give me the ticket (he said I didn't come to a full stop). He still ran my license and plates, and I had to wait in the car until he finished.

The second time, the cop was super young. When I showed him the card, he was like "Oh, I love that guy? I'm so sorry! Tell him I said hi!" He did not run my license or plates.