Philly Cop Forced Driver to Buy Police Fundraiser Tickets During Traffic Stop

The officer threatened to impound the man's car if he didn't buy the tickets.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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A Philly cop was pulled from active duty while his department investigates whether he tried to extort money during a traffic stop. The driver, whose video of the incident is going viral, was forced to buy tickets to a police fundraising event to keep his car from being impounded. 

The officer's name hasn't been released because he hasn't technically been charged with a crime, but in the video he gives the (also anonymous) driver an ultimatum: "Either buy these or I take your car, 'cause it's unregistered." The driver hands over $30 for the tickets and drives off, but he later posted the video to Facebook where it's gotten more than 590,000 hits.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, of "No Hope for Dope" fame, is pissed. 

"It's just stupid," he said after watching the video. "It's just not good at all. There's nothing about the stop that's good. Period. And I'm not going to even remotely try to justify any of it."

The officer was pushing tickets to The Hero Thrill Show, an annual event that helps pay for college for children of policemen who've died in the line of duty. Apparently the driver actually plans to use the tickets and attend the show. The officer in question is stuck on desk duty until further notice.

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