This is 100% backed by the brass.Accountability starts at the top. Who decided it was a good idea to have officers selling these things and how much pressure was there? This kind of BS is usually brass driven. Funny how nobody gives a crap when how many tickets you write becomes a major part of your evaluation. Same with the Garner thing in NY....who actually made selling single cigarettes a priority, because I guarantee it wasn't any of the patrol officers there. Many officers simply "play the game" and keep the bosses happy with whatever b.s is a priority. Same year I was turned down for a Medal of Valor because "we don't give awards for shooting people", one of our detectives who was worthless (she was promoted to get her off the street to keep her from getting killed) got a big award for organizing red ribbon week, which she made a full time job rather than actual cop stuff. Same thing when we were supposed to give "POG's" to kids to make ghetto kids like the police......little urchins would run up to felony car stops hanging off you for the stupid things (I was proud of my record of not handing out a single one). To go along with this...we had a guy have his career saved after a DUI arrest and collision while coming from a Captains charity wine tasting.....an event most serious street cops missed, unless you were sucking up for promotion.
Cop in the video was likely trying to kill two birds with one stone. Cut the guys a break, and keep the boss in charge of ticket sales happy. He will pay the price for this. It is why "not giving a shit" about this stuff was part of my career survival mechanism. Was not part of the promotability program, but unlike many, I didn't care.
You care about widows and orphans, raise money elsewhere. I am sure there is some rich folks who need a tax wrote off and some influence.