Triple-dipping on the public's dime

As many as 24 former New York City police officers (many already on tax-free retirements for various claimed physical problems) have been receiving Social Security benefits for the supposedly crippling post-traumatic stress disorders they're apparently burdened with as well.  Sure, no problem with that whatsoever, except for the minor fact that these poor destitute retirees also allegedly falsely applied and were issued handgun carry permits (the very sort that the average mentally stable, law-abiding New York City peasant doesn't have a prayer of receiving) in order to for them do private security work:

"The probers compared the list of "mentally ill" retirees with a roster of ex-cops who were issued gun permits, a process in which a person has to swear he isn't taking any drugs for mental problems."  (Emphasis ours)

Mountains of government fraud as well as perjury going on but nothing to see here, citizen, move along.

Let's add it up - cops on tax-free retirement at three-quarters pay qualify for Social Security payments of up to $3500 extra a month for their crippling stress symptoms, then either don't take their prescribed medication or lie about not taking it in order to go out and procure lucrative security contracts because they get to possess an all-but-impossible to obtain private handgun permit?  By our figures that's basically triple-dipping.  

 

Nice work if they can get away with it, but that's apparently not going to be the case much longer: 

 

"One retired cop belatedly realized he soon may face serious consequences for his avarice. 

 

The ex-cop, implicated in the wide-ranging probe, called a one-time police supervisor to ask for advice.  

 

'You're f- -ked! You need to get a criminal-defense attorney,' the supervisor said." 

 

Indeed.

 

We hope the various ailments of the officers are well-treated in the lockup, which is where they seem to be deservedly headed.