he PBA regularly deals with some pretty weighty issues. Defending officers in line of duty shootings, fighting for fair wages at arbitration and challenging the brass on unfair policies, to name just a few.

But every now and then, something comes to the PBA’s attention that may seem slightly less insignificant but is so flat-out wrong that it screams for the union’s attention. One such recent matter involves a very offensive video by a rock band that features a computer-animated image of a police officer being run over by a car, with a band member urinating in the officer’s face as he clings to the hood.

That’s entertainment?

We intentionally are not including the name of the band or the video in this article because in rock ‘n’ roll, like in politics, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Several members who viewed it while working out at a New York Sports Club gym reported the offensive video to the PBA.

After it was determined who was responsible, PBA President Pat Lynch fired off a complaint to Robert Giardina, director and CEO of Town Sports International, which owns and manages NY Sports Clubs.

In a letter to Giardina, Lynch called the video “a degrading and disrespectful display” and “an insult” to all New York City police officers, who“put their lives at risk every day so that New York can be a safe and commercially viable city.” Lynch asked that the video be pulled immediately from the Sports Club Network’s lineup.

Less than two weeks later, Lynch received a letter thanking him for calling attention to the offensive video and received assurances that the video would no longer be aired on the gym’s video network.

Lynch was pleased with the company’s response. “NY Sports Clubs have done the responsible thing by pulling this highly offensive video from their airwaves,” he said. “It’s hard to understand why any commercial establishment, particularly one seeking the patronage of New York City police officers, would allow such an insulting video to air on their video system. I’m glad that they agreed to remove it from the rotation.”

New York Sports Club has a long relationship with the PBA and offers all members of the service a significant discount on gym membership (details available on this website under Offers and Discounts.)