Bank-robbing policeman highlights plight of underpaid rookie officers

New York

New York certainly has more than its share of real-life dramas. But even the jaded were stunned by the tale of Christian Torres, a 21-year-old New York City Police Department officer.

To family, friends and neighbours, Torres was a young man full of passion for criminal justice, talking about how he loved being a cop and helping to fight crime on behalf of the citizenry. But nobody had any clue of his part-time job - bank robbing. Last June and November he twice robbed a bank in the city for a total haul of US$118,000, which he spent on buying a new Toyota Scion for himself and a diamond engagement ring for his model girlfriend. He was arrested this month when he tried to run away after robbing US$113,000 from another bank, this time in Pennsylvania.

Torres, who graduated from the police academy last summer, has confessed and is now in jail awaiting justice. But his alternative career has mystified many, including New York City police commissioner Raymond Kelly.

'His police-cadet record was very positive. It's a shocking story,' Mr Kelly said.

The case threw a spotlight on rookie officers' pay. The starting salary of a first-year police officer was cut from US$40,000 to US$25,000 in 2005 so that the city could pay more to veteran officers. That change was related to a labour dispute between the city government and the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the police union.