Comments on: NYC police union may cut back courtesy cards

By: John Rohan

John Rohan — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:20:46 +0000

I had never even heard of these before, but when I mentioned it in my office, one person pulled out a gold courtesy card, and a miniature badge that said “policeman’s daughter”. So I guess it’s a real thing.

By: David C

David C — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 18:40:20 +0000

In reply to mx. I agree that this feels like it should be illegal; it seems like it toes the line on bribery/extortion, and it violates equal protection. But I'm not sure if any federal criminal law is actually being broken. 18 U.S. Code § 242 (Deprivation of rights under color of law) prohibits "different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race", but that's not what's happening here. And since city police aren't federal officers, many other federal laws don't apply to them.

By: SPO

SPO — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 11:46:50 +0000

The Equal Protection Clause, if enforced, would throw out every single fine etc. of anyone–quite simply, not being a friend of a cop is not a rational basis upon which to get fined. It really is that simple, and since it is institutionalized, it’s state action. (Nothing you can really do about “one-offs”).

Judges create and enforce all sorts of non-law—why not enforce the Equal Protection Clause?

By: mx

mx — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 07:09:26 +0000

Back in 2004, the police union's own spokesman was explicitly saying: "This union encourages its members not to write a ticket over a card." This has gone on so long that they've brazen enough to state, in media interviews, that it's official policy not to ticket people with their cards. How that's not enough for federal prison sentences, I do not know.