The former Bronx Assistant District Attorney who was charged with a DWI after an accident on the Major Deegan Expressway pleaded guilty to drunk driving this morning—and got off with no jail time as a result. Jennifer Troiano, who was allegedly "treated like a queen" and given preferential treatment after the accident, was fired from her job Jan. 13, and she was apologetic in court today: "I accept responsibility for my actions," she told the judge. "It was my distinct honor to serve the people of Bronx County as an assistant district attorney. Finally, I am deeply sorry for what I have done and harm I've caused others." more ›

The lead Internal Affairs detective investigating the massive NYPD ticket-fixing scandal has been charged by his own department for leaking information to one of the cops in the probe—allegedly to see whether she would share it with other cops. Detective Randy Katakofsky, who has been subject to death threats for his role in the probe, was hit with two charges for allegedly giving false information to Lt. Jennera-Everleth Cobb as a litmus test to see whether she would leak it to ticket-fixing targets with the cop's union, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. "This a bogus charge, and it is not about what anyone thinks about ticket fixing,” said Katakofsky’s lawyer, Rae Dawn Koshetz. “This is an abuse of power to punish a detective who was doing his job.” more ›

So far, the massive ticket-fixing scandal in the Bronx has led to 16 NYPD officers being indicted on various charges, as well as one hundred and sixty other officers implicated in the probe, possibly forced to testify against other cops when it goes to trial. As one can imagine, the investigation, which took over two years to put together, didn't always go so smoothly: the NY Times reports that undercover cops targeted a particular barbershop, and an undercover cop barber, in the Bronx in the early stages of the probe. Except nothing came of the operation because no cops wanted to go back there after they got such terrible haircuts. more ›

There's trouble in NYPD police officers' union paradise—or is it hell, these days? With 16 police officers indicted in the massive ticket-fixing scandal, an investigation prompted by a police officer with alleged ties to a drug dealer, delegates of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association voiced their displeasure with union president Patrick J. Lynch: In what the NY Times calls a "rare revolt," over 30 delegates said that Lynch should step down—and the Post reports that the 50 delegates "stormed out" of a meeting. more ›

Last week, the story of a 21-year-old female student who was arrested and held by NYPD for 36 hours for not carrying ID outraged many people—even if the arresting officers didn't do anything explicitly illegal, most agreed it was an unnecessary and unwarranted abuse of power, and the fact that none of the officers stepped up to let Samantha Zucker free during her 36 hour ordeal was even worse. But now the NY Times reports that the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association can explain what happened: Zucker was just a casualty of the ticket-fixing scandal. more ›

"Snitches Get Stitches," so the saying goes. But the undercover NYPD officer whose work was largely responsible for the department's ticket-fixing woes has just been promoted. The Wall Street Journal reports that he has been bumped up a rank by Commissioner Ray Kelly at a "private ceremony." The now first-class detective had cut hair before becoming a cop, and was able to get a job at one of Jose Ramos' barbershops, where he was party to many an illicit conversation. more ›

Last week, 16 NYPD officers were indicted at a Bronx courthouse on charges related to the department's massive ticket-fixing probe. One hundred and sixty other officers have also been implicated in the probe, and may be forced to testify against other cops when it goes to trial. Many officers continue to argue that ticket-fixing is a mere courtesy that has always been extended to officers, their families, and other city officials. And one cop rationalized the ticket-fixing because it ensured a meeting between his gravely-ill child and the Yankees. more ›

Though just 16 police officers were indicted in the ticket-fixing sting, the names of 160 NYPD officers were implicated, and some will be asked by the Bronx DA to testify against those who face charges. Given the climate outside the Bronx courthouse on Friday, it's understandable why many will be hesitant to do so. "You can forgive guys for going into the grand jury, because they were [caught on wiretaps]" one cop tells the Daily News. "But how can you help a DA who attacked your profession win these cases?" more ›

José Ramos, the NYPD officer whose chatter with drug dealers on tapped phone lines instigated the department's massive ticket-fixing probe, said back in April that he didn't take money for his "professional courtesy." "I haven't taken a dime. I have nothing to worry about," he said. Now, a NYPD source tells the Post that Ramos actually accepted a flatscreen TV among other stolen electronics. more ›

Bronx prosecutors have won their first case involving a ticket-fixing cop. Leonardo Coronado was convicted of DWI yesterday despite his attorney grilling arresting officer Richard Urbina about tampering with summonses. According to the Daily News, Urbina admitted to the judge that ticket-fixing was a "breach of his oath," but called the practice a "common courtesy" that he performed for his father and two cab drivers. more ›

After becoming the deciding factor in the acquittals of a DWI and an attempted murder suspect, ticket-fixing may become the focal point of a Bronx murder trial. 25-year-old Careem Johnson is charged with shooting 18-year-old Jose Arvelo with seven bullets in 2008, and the alleged murder is caught on surveillance tape. But arresting officer Detective Jason Allison was caught on a wiretap asking a union delegate to erase a summons. "The ticket-fixing defense can only help here, even if it's a long shot," a Bronx defense attorney tells the Daily News. more ›

After the police officer who was at the genesis of the NYPD's ticket-fixing probe—who had his picture posted online, started receiving death threats—authorities have taken notice. According to the Daily News, Internal Affairs detective Randy Katakofsky's picture was posted on Thee Rant, a message board for current and former NYPD officers, and at least one user thought Katakofsky should kill himself. The department then asked the website to remove the photos and messages, and met with Katakofsky to ensure his safety. Currently, there's a "What Happened to the Det Katastropy Thread?" on the site. more ›

BREAKING: police officers don't like it when they're investigated by other police officers, especially for exercising the "professional privilege" of ticket-fixing for friends, family, and a guy who had sweet Yankees tickets. According to the Daily News' sources, Bronx narcotics cops aren't bringing major drug cases District Attorney Robert Johnson, who has led the probe, instead going to special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan. "The feeling is, 'Why go to them if you can get around it?' There's some bad blood." Nothing a torn-up ticket or two can't fix! more ›

Attorneys for the 17 police officers who have been indicted in the six month-long ticket-fixing sting are asking the judge for a change of venue out of the Bronx, a move that Bronx DA Robert Johnson is vowing to stop. Sources tell the Post that the defense is also planning on leaking the Bronx grand jury's votes and "facial expressions" in hopes to proving to the judge that the entire venue is biased. Maybe if the judge's parking citations disappeared he'd be more sympathetic? more ›

The Bronx grand jury that has been reviewing evidence of widespread ticket-fixing in the NYPD wrapped up the majority of its work reviewing 1,000 criminal counts yesterday. 17 police officers and five others—including two who are believed to be drug dealers—will have at least another week of freedom while all the paperwork is done, sources tell the Times. Only ten police officers are believed to be charged with ticket-fixing, with seven more being indicted for "unrelated misconduct." more ›

Some NYPD officers caught up in the ticket-fixing investigation were caught on wiretaps using racist language, and prosecutors are working hard to make sure the tapes are never made public, a source tells the Daily News. Phew—we certainly wouldn't want anything to besmirch the NYPD's sterling reputation! more ›

As was expected, 17 NYPD officers have been indicted by a Bronx grand jury as part of the ongoing ticket-fixing investigation. DNAInfo reports that the officers are expected to be arrested next week on charges including perjury, bribery, rewarding official misconduct, and grand larceny. more ›

Later today a Bronx grand jury is expected to begin deciding on charges in the ticket-fixing investigation that has been rocking the NYPD. "It's going to be the biggest scandal this department has seen in a long time," one source close to the investigation in the Bronx told the Daily News. "The cops who will be named in these indictments are the ones who went the furthest." Prosecutors are expected to ask for indictments of 17 cops on charges including perjury, bribery, rewarding official misconduct, and grand larceny. more ›

With the ticket-fixing scandal burning through the NYPD already causing one officer to attempt suicide, prosecutors are starting to worry about the mental health of cops involved in the investigation—but the NYPD is likely going to resemble The Shield a lot more before things get any better. In addition to the ticket-fixing, many cops will be charged with more serious crimes that were revealed as a result of the probe: “I think people are going to be shocked by the seriousness of these crimes...[including] cops dealing with drug dealers and proceeds from drug sales. It’s going to be more like cops knowing where drug money is stashed and then taking the money,” one source told the Post. more ›

This week, a veteran NYPD officer distraught over being called to testify in the ticket-fixing scandal which has engulfed the police force attempted (but failed) to commit suicide. Officer Robert McGee, who is currently at North Central Bronx Hospital because of burns from clutching the third rail, is telling friends that he's "ashamed of this whole thing." One source close to McGee told the News, "He said it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He's 62, with 30 years [on the job] and an unblemished record, and to go out like this is not the way to retire. You want to retire the way you came in, with pride." more ›

A veteran NYPD officer distraught over being called to testify in the ticket-fixing scandal which has engulfed the police force this year allegedly attempted to commit suicide earlier today. Officer Robert McGee, 62, a three-decade veteran and union delegate assigned to the 43rd Precinct, jumped in the tracks on the No. 1 line at a Riverdale subway station just before 5 a.m. this morning, and tried to electrocute himself by clutching the third rail. Earlier that night, McGee's wife had called cops and said he "was suicidal." more ›

The former Bronx Assistant District Attorney who is charged with DWI after an accident on the Major Deegan Expressway has dismissed her attorney and has hired a defense lawyer who successfully argued in favor of a different Bronx ADA's DWI. Another possible reason why Jennifer Troiano ditched lawyer Howard Weiswasser: He's her best friend's dad, and since her best friend is another ADA who is supposed to testify...which means he would have had to cross-examine his own daughter. more ›

The police ticket-fixing scandal has turned into an unexpected drain on New York City's coffers. Cops, wary of losing 10 vacation days for the slightest clerical error, have been writing up fewer and fewer traffic violations and that in turn has meant a loss of up to $1 million a week in revenues for the city, by the Post's calculations. more ›

Are drivers speeding through Queens to get to the Pop Tart Experience as fast as possible? Or are they just subconsciously pressing the gas harder while they sext their sweethearts? An analysis of the 624,813 moving violations cited by the NYPD this year by the Post reveals that Elmhurst has the highest number of speeding tickets (2,094) while Flushing tops the cellphone citations (2,589). Shockingly, on the Upper East Side, drivers apparently feel they're above stopping for a red light or going the right way, as the East 60's racked up the most tickets for running reds (1,480) and ignoring wrong way signs (359). more ›