I live in a city of eight million people.
My husband is part of a police force of roughly 35,000.
Once I wrote my post about being a Cop's Wife and carrying a copy of my husband's shield and ID card, the comments began popping off faster than a round of bullets in the South Bronx any given Saturday.
Here's the deal:
The conversation began and was meant to explore the idea of discretion. Considering what has been going on inside the NYPD re: the ticket scandal, I decided to comment on the fact that in our City, a cop has always had full discretion in terms of writing a ticket to a Cop's Wife/Spouse/Partner, etc. In New York City, this generally does not happen. I can't speak for other municipalities and the way things work around the world. What I can say is this: if you live in a small town and a cop chooses not to ticket you without ID, but because they recognize you or know your name or your husband's name, then that cop is using discretion also. Unfortunately, with eight million people running around NYC, you need some identification to show who your husband is...especially in the case of an emergency. Don't kid yourself: we are not a city with one hospital, and it is widely known that there are hospitals that would take care to make sure that I was not in a room next to someone my husband had just arrested. If the idea of my ID galls you, then think of it in terms of this.
I just want to conclude that the ticket scandal is not about discretion at the scene; it's about burying an already written ticket. And it's not about whether the family member is above the law or not...it's about one cop doing a favor for another officer...keeping the brotherhood intact...and if you think for one minute the Three-Star Chiefs that preside over the NYPD right now didn't do the same exact thing when they were on patrol...you'd be very wrong in that assumption.
For everyone who commented and kept the conversation alive on the blog, I thank you...that's what this blog is all about. We can agree to disagree; we are all joined by the same common thread.
But for those of you who think you deserve the summons, please remember to ask the next time you get pulled over that the officer would please not use any discretion...because you want to be treated just like anyone else. Right?
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Well said.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the record, if I get stopped I try to get out of a ticket like anybody else... I just don't mention the husband. (With 110-ish officers, they still don't know my face or name and with him in detectives he doesn't know most of the patrol guys).
I want you to know I don't think there's anything "wrong" with the system, I just think it's different. I do know that Husband's department is a bit strict because of some past behavior, so that might be why they're fairly strict out this way.
Nevertheless, wishing you peace my dear.
:)
If my husband worked at Target we would be entitled to a "employee discount". I guess the same thing applies here.
ReplyDeleteI, personally, wouldn't expect to get out of a ticket were I pulled over, but CA Cop would expect that I would.
When you start with a line that isn't 'was a law broken or not' that line tends to get fuzzy and can drift into some bad places before they even realize it.
ReplyDeleteWhen you start thinking that your job comes with perks and the law doesn't aply to you or lved ones, what other things my be considered perks or what laws can be bent or broken?
How about doing a Hundred and twenty because your late for your second job?
How about run a red light (not responing to anything, without anylights or sirens on) t-bone a car with the green light.
How about pulling over an ambulance that has their lights on and is transporting a pasenger to the hospital.
Hmmmm....