Philly cops hire their own doctors to certify disability claims — and it's costing the city $24 million

The Philadelphia Inquirer revealed in an extensive report that physician Jay Glickman earned $1.3 million from the city of Philadelphia between 2006 to 2012 after the local Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 picked him to decide whether cops could get the city's generous Heart and Lung disability benefit.

Due to Glickman's recommendations, the officers have been off the job for months and some for years despite "accepted treatment guidelines recommendations."

The deal comes from a 2003 agreement that has left medical ethicists questioning potential conflicts of interest.

"To maintain a stream of patients and reliable revenue, doctors may feel obligated to keep an officer out of work longer than medically appropriate," the report explained.

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Of the seven long-term doctors selected by the FOP, five of them have a history of questionable behavior. Those five also had "lucrative diet-pill businesses for cash." One doctor was even caught impersonating a police officer when arrested for drunk driving.

Glickman was accused by a 23-year-old man of drugging and raping him during a 2012 trip to Las Vegas, where Glickman said he was for a "medical retreat." Another patient accused Glickman of similar conduct in a 2009 lawsuit. He ultimately lost his contract in 2013 after the state Board of Osteopathic Medicine put him on probation for having a sexual relationship with a patient.

“The FOP objected to his removal for reasons that I still don’t clearly understand,” said Barry Scott, who heads the city’s Office of Risk Management. Glickman is only one of several problems the city has had, however.

Meanwhile, Philly is paying a fortune for salaries for cops who can't work. In 2008, that cost was $6.7 million. By 2021, that reached $24 million. All of this while police commanders have complained they're being hurt by an officer shortage. Over time, the treatments for the officers are taking much longer and are growing considerably more expensive.

Over the weekend, local 6ABC reported that as of June, 262 officers left their jobs with the city. They're on pace to lose 500 by the end of the year.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw complained in March of a "diminishing pool of resources." In 2015 they had 6,600 sworn officers and 800 civilian personnel, WHYY reported in March. As of 2022, there are 5,900 sworn officers and 600 civilian personnel.

To make up for the lack of staff they've been shifting officers from the specialized units to handle patrol duties.

Outlaw seemed frustrated with this recent information, particularly given the staffing shortages.

“It is frustrating as a police commissioner not having the ability to step in as quickly as I would like and say: ‘Look, we know there’s issues with these doctors. Fix it right now, because it has a direct impact on our staffing today, and ultimately our ability to just be present in the community,'" she told the Inquirer.

Read the full extensive expose at the Philadelphia Inquirer.