NYPD officer lands $175K settlement over ‘courtesy cards’ that help drivers get out of traffic stops

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer has reached a $175,000 settlement with the city in a lawsuit that illuminated the use of the “courtesy cards” that officers dole out to friends and relatives to get out of traffic stops and other minor infractions, according to an agreement filed in Manhattan federal court Monday.

The deal brings an end to a lawsuit brought last year by Officer Mathew Bianchi that claimed he’d been punished by his superiors for failing to honor the cards, though the settlement itself makes no substantive changes to how the cards are used by NYPD officers.

The laminated cards, which typically bear an image of an NYPD badge and the name of one of the city’s police unions, are not officially recognized by the police department but have long been treated as a perk of the job.

The city’s police unions issue them to members, who circulate them among those who want to signal their NYPD connections — often to get out of minor infractions such as speeding or failing to wear a seat belt.

Bianchi said his views about the courtesy cards haven’t changed. The 40-year-old Staten Island-based officer said there should be more oversight over how many of the cards are distributed to officers and better protections for those who speak out against their misuse.

“It’s a form of corruption,” he said by phone Tuesday. “My approach to how I handle them is not going to change, even if some boss is going to try to punish me. I’m still going to go out there and I’m going to do exactly what I feel is right.”

Bianchi’s lawyer John Scola said he hoped the officer’s efforts would inspire others in the department to step forward as whistleblowers.

“Officer Bianchi displayed remarkable courage by standing up to the NYPD, doing what was right despite the significant risks to his career,” he said.

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration confirmed the settlement terms but declined to comment further.

“Resolving this case was best for all parties,” Nicholas Paolucci, a law department spokesperson, wrote in an email Tuesday.

In his lawsuit filed last year, Bianchi claimed current and retired officers have access to hundreds of cards, giving them away in exchange for a discount on a meal or a home improvement job.

He also claimed he had been reprimanded on numerous occasions for writing tickets to the friends and families of officers, even after they had produced a courtesy card.

The final straw came when he issued a ticket to a driver who turned out to be a friend of the NYPD’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, in the summer of 2022. Bianchi said he was promptly ousted from his job in the department’s traffic unit and relegated to night patrol duties.

The police department declined to comment, deferring questions to the law department.

The Police Benevolent Association, NYPD’s largest police union, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. The city’s police unions have long faced scrutiny over the cards because of the appearance of corruption and their appearance for sale on eBay.

Bianchi said Tuesday that he’s since moved to a dayside shift but that his efforts to advance his career have been limited by the lawsuit.

“I’ve literally applied for just about everything since I’ve been put back, and they’ve denied me for everything,” he said. “They’re not very secretive as to why, and I’ve had supervisors tell me why I can’t go anywhere.”

But the nine-year veteran of the force said he doesn’t regret bringing the lawsuit.

“I’m glad I didn’t take the punishment and the retaliation lying down,” he said. “I’m glad that I did something.”