FOP/PBA Courtesy Cards or "Get Out of Jail Free" cards, anyone have/use them?

[Blackjack200]

Just curious. When I was younger I was friends with a cop that would hand them out sometimes. He told us that if we ever needed to use it, he would be "burned" in that municipality after that. He also told us that only a card signed by a cop will get you out of a ticket. The blank ones that you get for donating don't work.

I never used it. I've heard all kinds of stories of the cops taking them/not taking them getting pissed off etc. during traffic stops. Wondering if anyone has some good stories.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Just curious. When I was younger I was friends with a cop that would hand them out sometimes. He told us that if we ever needed to use it, he would be "burned" in that municipality after that. He also told us that only a card signed by a cop will get you out of a ticket. The blank ones that you get for donating don't work.

I never used it. I've heard all kinds of stories of the cops taking them/not taking them getting pissed off etc. during traffic stops. Wondering if anyone has some good stories.

I dunno what those are. I always remember 'Get Out of Jail Free' cards being in the shape of a dollar bill with '100' in the corners.

 

[Blackjack200]

I dunno what those are. I always remember 'Get Out of Jail Free' cards being in the shape of a dollar bill with '100' in the corners.

Those don't work too well in the states, police are well paid here, and don't feel like losing their jobs for a $100 bribe.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Those don't work too well in the states, police are well paid here, and don't feel like losing their jobs for a $100 bribe.

I'm in the states, and it depends on the area/timeline

 

[NesuD]

Around here we used to have a county Sheriff who would give out reserve deputy Sheriff cards to his campaign donors. I know for a fact of 2 instances where those cards were used to get special treatment during a traffic stop when the holders were drunk. Both times the Deputies called their wives to come and pick them up and let someone else drive their cars home. It all finally blew up in the Sheriffs face When the local news paper ran a big expose about the ways the the reserve deputy program was being abused by that sheriff to grease political donors.

 

[Blackjack200]

Around here we used to have a county Sheriff who would give out reserve deputy Sheriff cards to his campaign donors. I know for a fact of 2 instances where those cards were used to get special treatment during a traffic stop when the holders were drunk. Both times the Deputies called their wives to come and pick them up and let someone else drive their cars home. It all finally blew up in the Sheriffs face When the local news paper ran a big expose about the ways the the reserve deputy program was being abused by that sheriff to grease political donors.

Wow, I don't have much of a problem with cops giving them out to family and friends, but giving them to donors crosses a pretty important line. Glad he got caught.

 

[pauldun170]

My county is the top ranked area for average Police compensation and among the top for starting pay.
Also has very low crime rates compared to the national average.

Signed PBA cards work as advertised. at least with County\sherrif.
Know plenty of folks who with a flash of a card and a name drop have gotten out of tickets. Remember one friend who had a stack of PBA cards.
Key thing is to actually know the name, precinct of the person who gave you the card and make sure badge number is on it AND DO NOT TREAT THE CARD AS SOME SORT OF ENTITLEMENT!!!


State Troopers are another matter. Those guys barely consider non uniformed civilians human. Not sure how they handle stuff like PBA cards

 

[nakedfrog]

Wow, I don't have much of a problem with cops giving them out to family and friends, but giving them to donors crosses a pretty important line. Glad he got caught.

Weird, I don't see a whole lot of difference there.

 

[Blackjack200]

Weird, I don't see a whole lot of difference there.

Really? You don't see a whole lot of difference between giving a few cards to family/friends, and selling them to people to fund your campaign? Good lord.

 

[nakedfrog]

Really? You don't see a whole lot of difference between giving a few cards to family/friends, and selling them to people to fund your campaign? Good lord.

That's correct. What difference does it make to me why they're unfairly getting preferential treatment?

 

[brianmanahan]

it feels like i'm posting in a dari thread

 

[quikah]

That's correct. What difference does it make to me why they're unfairly getting preferential treatment?

I also don't see the difference, or the difference between this card and a $100 bill. They are all just different forms of bribes.

 

[LevelSea]

He's my friend! /gets a card
He's my friend that donated to my campaign! /gets a card

Not seeing much of a difference.

 

[MrSquished]

I watched my friend use one while I was in the backseat of his car with vodka between my feet. This was when we were young and stupid. But he got pulled over on the highway and he had one of those cards. I think if he didn't he would have been getting a DUI check quite possibly.

When in Morocco I got one speeding ticket and paid the 800 dirhams, then the next time I got pulled over for speeding managed to pay half the cost of the ticket in bribes, so 400 dirhams. Then we got pulled over one last time for literally no reason whatsoever, it was basically to extort us and 200 dirhams took care of that.

 

[DaveSimmons]

He's my friend! /gets a card
He's my friend that donated to my campaign! /gets a card

Not seeing much of a difference.

Yep, letting people get away with driving drunk until they maim or kill someone is bad either way.

Hopefully in 20 years most cars will be self-driving so the boozehounds won't be piloting them.

 

[Paladin3]

During an interview with former Los Angeles Co. Sheriff Lee Baca, he gave both myself (photographer) and the reporter I was working with his business card. On the back he signed them and wrote something along the line of "good for one harassment free contact with law enforcement." It was more of a joke than anything and I've since lost the card.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I've never had a card, but there are a bunch of cops in my family and I know somebody on every police force in the towns surrounding me. None of those are get out of jail free relationships and they're not going to help with an armed robbery or drunk driving offense, but they're effective for name-dropping out of minor traffic stops.

 

[JTDSR]

I've had several cards over the last 28 years. My father is retired NYPD and so is my uncle. I cannot say that I have ever used one and gotten out of a ticket with it. Firstly, any of those previous traffic stops were for nothing more than minor speeding, rolling through a stop sign, etc. Secondly, from day 1, I always try to make the officer feel at ease when approaching the car, and I speak with the utmost respect. Thirdly, no stupid excuses. If I was guilty of what he stated, I admitted it. I would apologize and ask " for a courtesy" as my father had instructed. Nada, got a ticket every time.

Oddly enough, I currently hold a Class A NYS drivers license. Back when it was even a class B, provided I was doing nothing stupid and was courteous, I would get out of tickets all of the time. The officer always said, "I don't want to ruin your livelihood, take it easy next time". My suggestion to friends who were notorious for speeding, etc, was to go get a CDL as it seemed to work much better than any PBA card or name drop I have ever used.

Disclaimer: Any violation which is utterly dangerous or potentially harmful to others should always be rewarded with a ticket to discourage future similar behaviors. I refer mostly to the 32 in a 20 zone, 71 in a 55 on the highway, forgetting to put your blinker on when making a turn with no one around, etc. They all can be dangerous in some regard, but some are less offensive than others.