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The NYPD union gives officers "get out of jail free" passes for family and friends

They're a touchy subject with officers

Earlier this year, New York City police officer unions reportedly reduced the number of police courtesy cards they hand out to their members — which stirred a big debate over what the cards are really for.

The longtime practice is a touchy subject with officers because lots of people think these "get out of jail free" cards (known from the game Monopoly) are a pass for all kinds of bad behavior. But they supposedly only get someone out of minor trouble. Courtesy cards signal to an officer that the bearer is a friend or family member of law enforcement, so the officer should consider extending some courtesy to them. For instance, forgiving a minor traffic infraction, but we're not sure what else.

The actual number of cards handed out to officers is unknown, but the reason the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association made the cutback in NYC was to stop the sale of the cards on eBay. The PBA, one of several police unions that distribute courtesy cards to their members, declined to comment for this piece.

This segment originally aired March 12, 2018, on VICE News Tonight on HBO.