If there is one rule for the corrupt public officer it is this: cash only. Parking Enforcement Aide Jamila Judkins is accused of violating that rule when she allegedly demanded that a man write her a personal check when he explained that he did not have cash to pay her rate of $20 for ignoring a parking violation.

The incident allegedly occurred three years ago in March, 2009. It was described below:

“I was parking on Devon Ave. to go to the bakery. When I got out of the bakery I saw a meter maid giving me a ticket for not paying the meter. When she saw me she said, “since I went in and out of the bakery in five minutes she wasn’t going to give me the ticket”. I told her thank you and began to get into my car. She then said that when she let’s people off she usually gets a little something in return a small fee to her for $20.00. I told her I did not have any cash, and that I only had a check book. She then said I should go into my car and to write the check out to her name. So I went into my car and wrote her the check. She then walked off to go to the bank. When I got home I told my father what happened and he immediately canceled the check. We then went to the police station to file a report. The investigator then called me a few weeks later and had me pick out her picture.

Strangely, the alleged bribe did not result in “being an issue” until three or four months ago despite the contemporaneous complaint filed three years previously.

As Edward Coke said, “though the bribe be small, yet the fault is great.” This now allows me to tell one of my favorite stories from the 1960s. A veteran Chicago reporter was asked derisively whether he “ever met an honest cop.” He feigned insult and said that when he was a student an officer pulled him over and demanded a bribe. He explained that he was a student and only had a $5 bill and a $20 bill to get him through the month. The officer said, “OK kid, just give me the $5.” Minutes later, the officer pulled him over again and ran up laughing and said “Kid, you gave me the $20.” The reporter finished by saying “so don’t tell me there is no honest cop.”

Source: Expired Meter