When I read about the NYC Police Department ticket fixing scandal, I thought of a recent incident involving a close friend of mine. Let’s call her Nicki.
She drove in from the suburbs, and following my suggestion, fed $3 into a muni-meter on Columbus Avenue, placed the receipt on her front windshield and met me for burgers in Shake Shack.
When we came out, Nicki had a $65 ticket–she had placed the receipt upside down. I suggested she plead not guilty and mail the receipt in, proving she had indeed paid. Nicki did, but they didn’t care and her plea was refused.
Back to the NYPD ticket fixing scandal. Sixteen officers have pleaded not guilty in the probe. Hundreds of cops gathered in a Bronx courtroom to support their fellow officers, while screaming profanities at prosecutors on the case and holding signs reading This is not a crime, it’s a courtesy. How dare they?
Cops are not above the law, and editorials have been unanimous in condemning this behavior. Conduct Unbecoming! screamed the NY Daily News, saying the ticket fixing scandal was “a stain on the great NYPD badge.”
I thought about this a few days ago while attending a social event with Nicki. We sat at a table with a friendly couple, and Nicki soon told them her tale of woe. They listened intently. The man then introduced himself as an NYPD detective.
“That’s unfair–your ticket should have been waived,” he decided. “I’m going to take care of that for you. You’re not paying anything. Now relax and enjoy the evening.”
Nicki and I looked at each other. What a wonderful man!
Is it a double-standard? It is more like back-door justice because the front door is either too incompetent or too corrupt.
Sadly, I think a double-standard would be an easier problem to fix. The officer should fix the ticket, but more importantly, he should find out why it wasn’t waived!
And, of course, the entire city would be better off if they just solved the parking problem, rather than using punitive measures to pretend to ‘manage’ it. They are avoiding the real issue. The whole process is a waste of time. Print 2-sided receipts. Do something creative. New York pretends that the car doesn’t exist, except as a way to get rich, (private lots, etc) rather than as a problem to be solved. Nobody is thinking beyond their nose.