Four former NYPD officers have filed lawsuits alleging rampant corruption within the department, claiming promotions were essentially for sale at $15,000 a pop. One of them, ex-Chief of Detectives James Essig, says he was forced out after speaking up against unqualified officers being promoted due to cronyism. The suits point fingers at top brass, including the mayor and police chiefs, for letting this toxic culture thrive.

Editor’s Note: If these allegations hold up, it’s a brutal look at how backroom deals might’ve undermined the NYPD’s credibility. Corruption claims aren’t new, but when high-ranking insiders start naming names, it suggests systemic rot—something that erodes public trust in law enforcement at a time when that trust is already shaky.