To Serve and Protect… Its Financial Ass

The NYPD is in the middle of a trademark infringement lawsuit against NYPD Pizza, an Orlando-based pizza chain accused of ["intentionally and purposefully"] designing its logo to look like the department's shield and building its pizzerias to resemble police precincts—complete with bills that look like summonses. Pretty sweet, huh?

The showdown between the city and NYPD Pizza began nearly five years ago. In 2003, the parties reached an agreement in which the pizza chain agreed not to use the department’s logo in any of its stores or on merchandise items. But the city says NYPD Pizza violated that agreement and is back to its old tricks. For its part, the pizza chain, which sells itself as “the only [official NYPD Pizza Restaurant Franchise] in the World!” says the theme is a tribute to the department. Its owner, Paul Russo, is a New York native from Bayside, Queens with friends and relatives in the force, and says his chain portrays the department in only the most positive light.

Tell it to someone who cares. The NYPD, it seems, is much more interested in its pocketbooks than positive gestures. You see, the pizzeria is not licensed to use the Police Department's name or logo; and licensing fees on NYPD logo items bring in big bucks for the department. In fact, Newsday reports that the city takes home 10 percent of all revenues from NYPD paraphernalia sales—estimated to total $11 million annually. Now that’s a lot of $5.00 T-shirts, mouse pads and key chains.

In other pizza news, a double-parked motorist assaulted a traffic agent after [throwing a slice of pizza] at her in Kensignton, Brooklyn on Tuesday. Apparently, the agent was scanning the vehicle's window-sticker registration with a handheld computer when Smith, 32, ran up cursing, and flung the pizza slice. Under those circumstances, we can understand why the law may not be too fond of the cheesy fare.

Photo courtesy of [T.Young on Flickr]