Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bloomberg Defends Ticket-Fixing Probe As More Officers Are Implicated
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 22, 2011
Modified Apr 22, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 22, 2011
Modified Apr 22, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Earlier this week, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the union for the NYPD's front-line supervisors, vigorously defended the conduct of police officers caught in a massive ticket-fixing scheme probe. But Mayor Bloomberg begged to differ, and argued this morning that there's a world of difference between dismissing parking tickets and dismissing more serious offenses: "These are all not parking tickets. These are moving violation tickets that we're talking about, which is...a lot more serious because maybe you were drunk driving, or maybe speeding if you kill somebody whereas, parking could be in front of a fire hydrant, which could be dangerous or at a crossing, it's an inconvenience."
Bloomberg discussed the ticket-fixing investigations on the radio this morning. He said that the new computer system which tracks tickets should make the rigging difficult to continue, and doesn't believe it has happened at all since last July: "The commissioner, I've talked to him a lot, and he's convinced when the cop gets back to headquarters with the tickets they go right into the computer and after that it would be very hard to manipulate the system. You can't promise zero but, virtually not."
Last week, a grand jury probe began targeting approximately 40 cops from all 12 Bronx precincts, including delegates from the city's largest police union, for the ticket-fixing scheme. Then last weekend, it came out that the probe may have expanded to all five boroughs, and as many as 400 cops could face disciplinary charges as a result. The Police union president, Edward D. Mullins, argued in an impassioned voice mail/open letter to other officers that "the culture of extending courtesies to members and their families within the NYPD has existed since the day the very first summons was ever written."
But since the investigation went public, more and more details and anecdotes of individual officers misdeeds have leaked out: IAB caught police-connected businessman Albert Thompson calling Sgt. Keshawn Hickman, saying he needed to get rid of a moving violation. "He told them to go down to traffic court and see officer so-and-so and have him take care of the ticket and say it's for the chief so-and-so," a source told the Post.
Deputy Inspector John D'Adamo was caught on wiretap admitting he asked a union delegate to make a seat-belt violation disappear. D'Adamo was then later caught again on wiretap saying the police investigation was no big deal, and he wasn't worried about his career: "I mean, that's it - one ticket. OK, I can see if I was involved in a 100-ticket scandal getting kickbacks and money and s--- like that," he's heard saying on the tape, according to the News.
And Officer Jose Ramos, who allegedly helped Yankee Stadium director of operations Douglas Behar get a speeding ticket dismissed, could be facing perjury charges. Ramos was also under investigation for a possible link to a drug dealer when he was heard on a wiretap asking a PBA delegate to fix a ticket, which jumpstarted the whole ticket-fixing probe. "I haven't taken a dime. I have nothing to worry about," he told the News.
Tagged
bronx
cops
mayor bloomberg
nypd
police
ticket-fixing
ticket-fixing scheme
tickets
unions
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Gatorade recall affects drinks sold in New York and New Jersey
More than 122,000 cases are being recalled over undeclared food dyes.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 5, 2026 at 4:36 p.m. ET
Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.
By
Caroline Lewis
News
Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.
By
Caroline Lewis
NYPD detective forced to retire after false statements in Brooklyn investigation
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani faces pressure to forge ahead with plan to fix polluting South Bronx market
By
Elizabeth Kim
Dominican man who shot border patrol officer in NYC sentenced to 15 years in prison
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .