In New York, they give out these cards when you make a donation to policemen’s organizations (or if you’re a friend or family member of a cop). You keep them in your wallet and when you get pulled over for running a red light or whatever, you show the card and then the cop then gets to decide whether to give you a ticket or not. The New York Times is reporting today that these "Policemen’s Benevolent Association" cards are now being sold on eBay.
We have something just like this in California — ever seen those "11-99 Foundation" license plate frames? Same thing. You pay money and in exchange you get a frame that says "don’t pull me over for speeding, brother."
This is totally not eBay’s fault (although a spokesdroid from one of the NY cops associations said that selling them online is "inappropriate"). Handing out get-out-of-jail-free cards in the first place is inappropriate. It’s completely corrupt. Donating to policeman’s benevolent associations is swell and all (although I can think of charities that seem more worthy to me). But giving out membership cards and license plate frames with the obvious implication that you’re going to be let off for minor traffic offenses seems utterly scummy to me.
Update: Dilbert addresses this issue today.
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