New York police union cards, which officers give their friends and family to help them get out of minor jams, are selling on eBay for $100 each.
The cards are supposed to be used to show that a police officer can vouch for another person,
reports The New York Post, and people often use them to get out of minor incidents such as parking tickets or speeding violations. New Yorkers who show one of the plastic cards along with their driver’s licenses are showing they are either a cop or are closely connected to one.
“It’s a way for a police officer to vouch for another person,” said City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. “That type of recommendation shouldn’t be available to the highest bidder.”
Cards from the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Detectives’ Endowment Association, the Lieutenants Benevolent Association and the Sergeants Benevolent Association are all listed on the auction site. The cards representing superior officers, like the Lieutenants Benevolent Association, are worth more money because they carry more weight than the patrolmen’s cards.
Police union leaders, along with elected officials, want an investigation and are looking for a way to stop the card sales. Republican Councilman Dan Halloran said he fears the cards could end up with terrorists or criminals.
But Democratic Councilman Dan Garodnick said he thinks the cards should be eliminated to avoid ethical breaches.
“Our traffic laws should not be enforced with winks and nods,” he said. “I don’t know which is worse, the existence of a get-out-of-jail-free card or the fact that the cards are being hawked on the Internet.”
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