It might surprise you to learn that police officers actually get offered bribes on a pretty regular basis.
Most of the offers aren’t really good bribes, which helps, but also, the majority of them seem to enjoy and want to keep their jobs.
These 12 cops, though, don’t mind admitting that one time they were sorely tempted to take the deal.
12. Something to keep in mind.
I was once working an off duty security job at a Radio & Records Convention, at the Century Plaza Hotel.
Floors were closed off for private parties. It was 1979. Some guy offfered me $20 to allow his girlfriend and him up. I sent him on his way. The cop running the gig said even he’d have taken it.
I’m like a character I once read about in a novel. You could not get me a million dollars to do the wrong thing, but I can often be “bought” with a simple smile.
11. Bless him.
Way back when I was young and dumb.. I stopped a car traveling 85 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit. In the car was an absolutely B_E_A_U_T_I_F_U_L woman. She was a cross between Raquel Welch and Linda Carter.
When I explained why I stopped her for 140 MPH in a 55 MPH zone!! She replied in a sultry voice, while simultaneously tugging at the neck of a low cut summer sweater… ”I’d do anything to get out of this ticket… and I mean anything!!”.
I thought about it for a millisecond or two.. and explained I’d be right back.
I wrote her a ticket for 84 in a 55 and asked her to sign the ticket. Her response indicated she ’d expected a different answer. I politely explained to her that attempting to bribe a police officer was a felony!
I may have been young and dumb, but I wasn’t stupid !
10. I’m shocked!
Never, just makes me feel sick to my stomach even thinking of the thought.
I was a Prison Officer years ago, and the odd prisoner would approach me asking “how much for your keys?”
My reply was “I have 30years to go, I earn £******* amount a year x that by the 30 and come back to me. They never did
9. A check? Get outta here.
I can only think of one time when any thought of accepting a bribe crossed my mind, but it wasn’t an offer of any money.
I stopped a car for an egregious traffic violation (nearly running over a couple pedestrians in the crosswalk while turning) and discovered that the driver was straight out of my fervid teenage sexual fantasies: tall, slim, red hair, green eyes, pale skin, freckles….
When I told her I would be writing the citation for failure to yield, she said she’d be happy to talk with me “later, privately,” about any way to make up for her traffic violation. I have to admit to a few twinges in the nether region when she said that, but she ended up getting the citation…
Otherwise, I’ve never considered accepting a bribe. I’ve had plenty of people offer cash, and even one idiot who said he’d give me $2500 to let him go, but he’d have to write me a check…
8. You gotta have ethics.
There was never a situation i was in that i was remotely tempted to take a bribe, i never had the urge to take one nor was in a position to take one
It totally goes against what i believed in and took in my oath of constitution which still applies even in my retirement
7. Truth or a lie? You decide.
Well .. I guess now that I’m living quietly and anonymously in the Caribbean and the Feds can’t touch me …
I had stopped a late model Mercedes with Dade County (Miami, Fla) tags for going over the center line. I suspected the driver was intoxicated. Long story short while inspecting the trunk I found three kilos of cocaine and a trunk full of cash. A TRUNK FULL.
The driver, Hispanic, offered me the cash in return for his freedom. I agreed and I’ve been living very well ever since.
6. Never say never.
There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I’d accept a bribe for.
I’ve never even entertained the thought.
My career and moreover, my self respect, wouldn’t allow me to do so.
5. Not one single person?
Tempted? No. I doubt that it ever seriously even enters the mind of over 99+ percent of police officers.
Once a bribe is accepted, or even if the bribe offer is accepted but the bribe never paid, the officer would be in constant peril of exposure…..and a prime candidate for blackmail.
Have some officers ever accepted bribes ? Sure some have and those are the ones we read about. We also read about officers who have committed premeditated murder as well…but I hope that neither of these crimes by those offender officers are thought to be commonplace by the public at large.
In 35+ years in law enforcement I never knew of a single case (in the agency that employed me) of an officer accepting a bribe, but people offering bribes were routinely arrested and prosecuted.
Some might choose to doubt this, and that is their privilege……..but it still remains the truth.
4. What if it wasn’t money, though?
No. I wouldn’t put my career on the line for any amount of money.
Two things, my own integrity and the fact that I took an oath of office which my personal integrity required me to carry out to the best of my ability.
3. What a good heart.
Never, I was only offered a bribe one time, $900 by a Mexican (race there for a reason) I had stopped for drunk driving.
I arrested him for the drunk driving charge only and put all his money with his property to be returned when he was released. I decided not to mention or arrest him for the attempted bribery because having been to Mexico numerous times I knew that is the custom there. I have been shaken down for money by cops in Mexico myself.
Technically it was a felony and I had no discretion; by law I should have arrested him. I ignored the law and did what I thought was right.
2. So sure!
Never.
A person is either ethical or not. I got my values and core beliefs from my family long before I had a badge. The badge was a temporary part of my life. Who I am inside is the same at the core as it has been since at least my teen years.
1. That takes commitment!
None!! I have told people, in jest, that I can be bought, but the number has to include at least 11 or twelve 0’s and three commas.
Was handed a DL with a $100 wrapped around it on a traffic stop. Guy was from Chicago. Told him he accidentally gave me a $100.00 bill. He said that was for me, and that’s how they did it in Chicago. Told him, “Toto, you arent in Kansas anymore”, wrote him his ticket and ignored the attempted bribery, as he was just acting under his cultural norms. At the time I was a new officer, taking home less than $750 a month.
Hell, I took a $200 pay cut from selling stereo to be a cop!
I mean, if someone would offer me enough money to retire and travel the world…
Nope. We still have to stand strong.
If you’re a cop, tell us your story in the comments!
