I went down to Family Court last friday to testify for a friend that had been charged with physical abuse. I saw most of the altercation and another friend saw the rest and what was charged in the complaint just absolutely didn't happen. I believe the charges were only filed to bolster a child custody fight but that's not what I'm posting about.

The waiting room downstairs from the courtrooms is a large open area with all kinds of shit going on staffed mainly by Philadelphia police officers. I'm, by nature, a curious person and usually eyeball people and try to listen in on conversations that are within ear distance.

At one point a tall attorney walks in with a client (I'm guessing by the way each of them were dressed) and they stop about 8-10 feet from where I'm sitting and I hear the attorney tell the client to go ahead home. He tells her he will take care of the problem and call her later on that night.

After she leaves I notice the attorney has a small slip of paper (about 4"x4") in his hand. He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash. He seperates a $20 bill from the wad and wraps it around the slip of paper. I quickly got my friends attention and told her to watch what was happening.

The attorney walks over to a police officer who appears to be in charge and they talk for a few second and then he palms him the $20 and slip of paper. The officer immediately put his hand in his front pants pocket and the attorney leaves.

It really gave a small bit of excitement to an otherwise long booring afternoon.


What I don't understand is the officer looked about late 40's early 50's so I'm assuming he has at least 10-15 years on the force (probably more.) Why would you risk your career/pension for $20?

Now I know its entirely possible it wasn't an illegal payoff. Maybe just paying on a friendly little wager or maybe he was handing in his weekly football pool. Could have been innocent.

Quoted: I went down to Family Court last friday to testify for a friend that had been charged with physical abuse. I saw most of the altercation and another friend saw the rest and what was charged in the complaint just absolutely didn't happen. I believe the charges were only filed to bolster a child custody fight but that's not what I'm posting about. The waiting room downstairs from the courtrooms is a large open area with all kinds of shit going on staffed mainly by Philadelphia police officers. I'm, by nature, a curious person and usually eyeball people and try to listen in on conversations that are within ear distance. At one point a tall attorney walks in with a client (I'm guessing by the way each of them were dressed) and they stop about 8-10 feet from where I'm sitting and I hear the attorney tell the client to go ahead home. He tells her he will take care of the problem and call her later on that night. After she leaves I notice the attorney has a small slip of paper (about 4"x4") in his hand. He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash. He seperates a $20 bill from the wad and wraps it around the slip of paper. I quickly got my friends attention and told her to watch what was happening. The attorney walks over to a police officer who appears to be in charge and they talk for a few second and then he palms him the $20 and slip of paper. The officer immediately put his hand in his front pants pocket and the attorney leaves. It really gave a small bit of excitement to an otherwise long booring afternoon. What I don't understand is the officer looked about late 40's early 50's so I'm assuming he has at least 10-15 years on the force (probably more.) Why would you risk your career/pension for $20? Now I know its entirely possible it wasn't an illegal payoff. Maybe just paying on a friendly little wager or maybe he was handing in his weekly football pool. Could have been innocent.

You think there's any risk to them?

What did you do about it?  Did you get the officers name? Did you get the lawyers name?
Did you tell someone at the Philly PD?

Should have called the cops

Maybe it was dog-protection money.

Quoted: What did you do about it?  Did you get the officers name? Did you get the lawyers name? Did you tell someone at the Philly PD?

Not sure I would say anything.....seems like a good way to have your record suddenly loaded with traffic violations to me......

Quoted: Should have called the cops

What would he have called them?

"Hey, you crooked bastard!"

It's none of your business. This is how rumors start and how lives are ruined.

The reason I did nothing was I really didn't want anything to interfere with the real reason I was down there.

I thought about possibly doing something about it after his case was settled but in all honesty what I saw just didn't seem like enough to go forward with.

In before the Apologists.

BTW what you saw could have been one of many things. Maybe the cop lent the woman $20 to fill up her car. In a third world country I used to live the standard bribe for a speeding ticket was $50 and that was 20 years ago. I doubt the going rate in the US is $20. Who knows. That doesn't matter. You'll be lynched for being an "Insane Cop-Bashing Moron" for even suggesting impropriety.

Quoted: Maybe it was dog-protection money.

Doubt it would cost more than $5 for him.....

Quoted: It's none of your business. This is how rumors start and how lives are ruined.

It’s the business of anyone who pays taxes.

Quoted: Quoted: It's none of your business. This is how rumors start and how lives are ruined. It’s the business of anyone who pays taxes.

What? Was there a crime commited? Is it illegal for one man to hand another man $20 ?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It's none of your business. This is how rumors start and how lives are ruined. It’s the business of anyone who pays taxes. What? Was there a crime commited? Is it illegal for one man to hand another man $20 ?

Whether it's a crime or not we don't know.  What they do is our business though.


(them's the breaks being a tax fed public servant - public scrutiny)

You should call their internal affairs division, and tell them everything you saw.  Let them make the determnation on what was what.  

Quoted: It's none of your business. This is how rumors start and how lives are ruined.

Very true statement, however, the officer in question should have taken that into account and done his business behind closed doors.

A definite lack of professionalism was shown.

Was there any comments made between the 2 during the exchange? Witty banter usually goes along w/ wagers(winner or loser).

If all it would take was $20 to have a case(no matter what it might be) disappear. Wouldn't you want to know? Besides, if you do something in the "public eye" expect it to be everyones business.

Lunch money and sandwich list.

Pay off for the last dime bag of rock

Of course it was a payoff to a crooked Cop who comes cheap. You saw what you wanted to see. No preconceived notions here.

Quoted: Did you tell someone at the Philly PD?

It's Philly.

Report it. If it was nothing, then no harm done, if there something to it, Infernal Repairs will be on it like stink on shit, that's what they do.

Say something about it and you'll be a punching bag, some guys that visit you will practice being "Rocky."

"I'll bet you $20 the judge comes in drunk."

"Nah.  He said last week he quit drinking."

"Yeah right.  Then take the bet."

Time passes.  The judge comes in.  Money is exchanged along with a slip of paper with a URL to a new porn site.

Quoted: Maybe it was dog-protection money.

Now that's funny.

The police had better be smart enough to avoid the appearance of impropriety.  In this case, raising the question about whether a crime was committed is appropriate, in spite of what the apologists and 'head-in-sand'ers above think about the incident.

Quoted: Of course it was a payoff to a crooked Cop who comes cheap. You saw what you wanted to see. No preconceived notions here.

Shoot his dog and burn down his house. Blame lawyer.

Probably for the handjob the officer gave him in the john just prior.