GEN 2240: Intro to Research

Results
The results presented below come from a survey I created and conducted, as well as an
interview with a Sergeant. I compiled the responses from my primary research into the
following charts and analysis.
Based on the responses of the survey, PBA cards are common among the citizens in our
area at the very least. As the below charts show, the screener questions show that out of
the 116 people who possess a drivers license that were willing to participate, 103 of them
were familiar with what PBA cards do.

Do you have a driver's license?

Yes

116

98%

No

2%

Figure 1. Do you have a drivers license? This figure shows the first screening questions responses.

Out of this group of 103, there were 63 people who had received PBA cards before, and out
of those, only 34 had ever used them. 29 out of those 34 benefited from this use. This goes
to show that although the knowledge of what they are is prevalent, not everyone has had
personal experience by receiving one.

Are you familiar with the use of PBA Cards and what they do?

Yes

103

87%

No

15

13%

Figure 2. Are you familiar with the use of PBA cards and what they do? This second screening
question helps eliminate those who do not know enough about the topic.

In fact, only about 61% of the 103 total people that know about them have actually ever
received one. About 33% of the participants have received and used a card, and about 28%
have received, used, and then benefitted from one. This strikes me as interesting because I
had assumed the presence, and use, of PBA cards to be more prevalent than what the
survey shows.
I then asked all 103 participants, not just the ones who had cards, what their opinion is on
the use of these cards. As expected, I received varying answers that were, for the most part,
split between positive and negative feelings. The options for the question asking
respondents opinions on using PBA cards (listed below) were as follows: Strongly
Approve, Approve, Neutral, Disapprove, Strongly Disapprove. The two highest percentages
were those who approve (about 34%) and those who disapprove (about 24%).

4. What is your opinion on the use of the PBA Cards by family/friends of

officers?

Strongly Approve

17

17%

Approve

35

34%

Neutral

20

19%

Disapprove

25

24%

6%

Strongly Disapprove

Figure 3. What is your opinion on the use of the PBA cards by family/friends of officers? This chart
represents the varying degrees of approval/disapproval by respondents.

I followed this question up with another question asking why respondents answered the
way they did, why they felt this way. I received a large variety of answers. To show the
variations, I will share one or two responses that followed up each of the previous options:
Strongly Approve, Approve, Neutral, Disapprove, Strongly Disapprove. These responses
will capture the different mentalities of people on the uses of PBA cards. Keep in mind,
these responses do not directly capture everyones feelings that answered the question
each of these ways. These responses are for examples only.
Strongly Approve

It's considered a professional courtesy. The family members,

especially spouses and children, also sacrifice a lot. They have to
celebrate holidays without their officer and deal with crazy
schedules and working nights and weekends. It's a small
something that can be given back to those men and women who
put their lives on the line every day for all of us.

Approve

Neutral

Disapprove

Strongly Disapprove

I believe they can be useful and when people are related to

officers, they should have some sort of benefits. Also since PBA
cards are used for minor things like speeding, which can help
people financially while also being given a "warning".
It depends which side you are coming from. If you don't have
one you won't like them, if you do you love them
Like any interaction between a L E O and citizen it is the officer
who has discretion as to what action he takes or doesn't take
PBA card or not.
Personally I do not think you should get special privilege just
because you know someone or have family member in the law
enforcement. It has nothing to do with you or your actions
They give special treatment to their holders. Cops should be
given this leniency, as they are the ones protecting us. Simply
knowing a police officer should not permit you to extend this
treatment to yourself.
PBA cards work on the same principles as nepotism, insider
trading, Mafia protection and political payoffs. They give a
portion of our society an unfair advantage.
Specifically, I knew of a case in the past where someone who
habitually drove under the influence of alcohol used this
connection to avoid arrest. While I think the police now avoid
giving them to people who are known threats to public safety,
I'm not sure that they know where they end up.

Figure 4. The example responses for approval/disapproval of PBA cards. This table of example
responses helps portray different viewpoints of the subject.

I then dug deeper into peoples opinions on these cards. I did this by asking how fair they
are considered to be, and if their feelings are influenced by having a card or not. About 62%
of respondents found the cards to be either relatively or extremely fair. This question
showed there was a difference between approving of the use of PBA cards and considering
them to be fair. There were 31 people who either disapproved, or strongly disapproved, of
the use of the cards, but 39 people found them to be not at all fair.

8. Regardless of your positive or negative feelings towards them, do you

find it FAIR that PBA Cards are able to give lenience from the law to
family and friends of police officers?

Extremely Fair

18

17%

Relatively Fair

46

45%

Not at all Fair

39

38%

Figure 5. Regardless of your positive or negative feelings towards them, do you find it FAIR that
PBA cards are able to give lenience from the law to family/friends of officers? This chart represents
how fairness does not always directly relate to feelings of approval/disapproval on the subject.

After asking these questions inquiring about peoples opinions on the cards, I followed up
by asking if having a PBA card, or not having one, influences any of these feelings. To my
surprise, about 63% of participants said No to this question. I found this to be interesting
as I thought having, or not having, a card much more strongly influenced the opinions
people had on them. Although influence is hard to detect and then report honestly and
accurately so there is room for error.

9. Do you find that your feelings towards PBA Cards stem from your
possession, or lack thereof, of the card?

Yes

38

37%

No

65

63%

Figure 6. Do you find your feelings towards PBA cards stem from your possession, or lack thereof, of
the card? This chart represents those who feel that possessing, or not possessing, a card either
affects or doesnt affect their feelings on the subject.

As for the Interview I conducted with Sergeant Natoli, I discussed many topics regarding
PBA cards with him. I asked him the basics of what it is, and what does it do? I then began
asking him a series of questions wondering how exactly it works, and how he interacts with
them. Below I will list the important and relevant questions and answers.
How do you, as an officer, decide when it is

I distribute P.B.A. cards to people I know

right to give out a PBA card and to whom?

well, or people that are closely associated

with someone I know well. For the most
part, people who are given P.B.A. cards are
people that do not need the card Believe it
or not most people are too shy or
embarrassed to present a P.B.A. card to an
officer while on a motor vehicle stop.

How do you decide when to accept a

P.B.A. cards don't guarantee anyone

presented PBA card in exchange for some

anything. People should understand that

leniency?

the violation, as well as the conduct of the

stopped individual, is what affords someone
leniency. You can have twenty P.B.A. cards
with you and present it to me on a stop, but
if you are doing 60mph in a residential area
you are getting a ticket!

In which instances do you not return the

If I return a P.B.A. card to the issuing officer

card to the driver?

then the driver committed an egregious

offense and/or conducted himself in an
extremely discourteous manner, contrary to
the stated purpose of the card.

Do you find the use of PBA cards by family

I do not consider it fair or unfair. Courtesy

and friends of officers in exchange for

is courtesy. A favor is a favor. As long as

leniency for an infraction to be fair or not?

you do not violate the law, and maintain the

integrity of your position, I, and every other
officer have the right to issue, or not issue a
summons for an offense. Doctors, Lawyers,
businessmen and others provide
professional courtesy to people whether in
the same field or not. I do not see it any
differently as a police officer.

What would you say to someone who

I would say nothing to them. People who

strongly disapproves of PBA Cards, claiming

"strongly disapprove" of anything are very

that they are unfair and encourage

rarely swayed in their opinion. It is also my

favoritism, in order to justify the use of

learned opinion, that most people who

them?

"strongly disapprove" of something either

have had a perceived "wrong" done to them,
or have not taken the time to properly
educate themselves on the subject
matter. In either instance I would not

engage in that conversation. If a person had

legitimate questions, concerns, or
comments, such as the questions posed by
you, then I would take the time to have a
thoughtful "back and forth" discussion with
them.
Any final comments on PBA cards and their

P.B.A. cards are one of those things that

use.

most people don't have an understanding

of. The simple reason is for the perceived
favoritism to the card-holder. People that
don't have P.B.A. cards have been given
"courtesy" probably just as much as those
with the cards. When people believe the
possession of the P.B.A. card is the only
factor in having a summons issued, or not
issued, it cheapens the discretion the officer
has at his disposal.

Figure 7. Interview Response Table. This table highlights the important responses by Sgt. Natoli to
some of the more pertinent questions in the interview.

All in all, I set out to find the answer to my research question: How do police/citizens feel
about and/or interact with PBA Cards? I found that the responses I collected supported my
thesis statement which claims: PBA Cards are supported by most officers, who give and
accept them under certain conditions, while there is much more controversy in the
fairness of them among citizens.