and if you ever thought that flashing a PBA gold card or name dropping your cop relatives can get you out of a traffic ticket well you're probably right a new investigation by the State Controllers Office into the New Jersey State Police found that Troopers routinely gave a pass to drivers who touted their connection to law enforcement even in cases of dangerous offenses like drunk driving investigators examined more than 500 state police stops that ended with no enforcement action from a 10-day period in late 2022 and repeatedly saw motorists boldly sharing courtesy cards and police connections with Troopers often responding with some version of you're good the controller's report notes the Troopers deference often came with inherent racial discrimination the overwhelming majority of drivers who flashed that courtesy card were white Kevin Walsh the acting State Controller said the findings show a two-tiered system of justice that's unethical and fundamentally unfair we released this report because we think it's important that the public the governor the attorney general and the colonel of the State Police as well as legislators who were responsible for making our laws know just how much nepotism and favoritism play a role in policing in New Jersey this kind of preferential treatment isn't just unfair it's dangerous it undermines the idea that everyone should be treated equally under the law and puts everyone on the road at risk [Music]