Opinion

Has pay-to-play spread from City Hall to the NYPD?

It looks like details will be dribbling out for some time on the FBI probe of influence-peddling at the NYPD. But one thing that already stands out is who was allegedly buying.

As first reported in Tuesday’s Post, the FBI is questioning some 20 cops — including three deputy chiefs — over suggestions they took gifts from local businessmen in exchange for such favors as extra security and police escorts.

This is serious stuff. Cops are entrusted to uphold the law, but instead they reportedly accepted expensive gifts and paid-for foreign trips — all of which is illegal.

And then there’s the supposed favor-seekers: businessmen who have also donated lavishly to Mayor Bill de Blasio, through his campaigns and his personal slush fund, the Campaign for One New York.

Like Jona Rechnitz, who’s given $50,000 to CONY, $34,600 to de Blasio’s campaigns (for which he bundled another $44,650) and $102,000 to state Democrats after the mayor asked his allies to help the party regain control of the state Senate.

It’s not surprising that they may have felt inspired to extend their largesse to the NYPD: Under de Blasio, pay-to-play has become the name of the game.

Yes, Candidate de Blasio vowed to drive the special interests from power and create “One New York” — but on Mayor Bill’s watch, those who shell out have found receptive ears at City Hall.

If that attitude has extended to the NYPD, New York truly is in trouble.

So we’re glad to see Police Commissioner Bill Bratton vowing to “cooperate fully” with the FBI and grand jury probes.

Of course, any accusation of police corruption is troubling. It can only embolden those who’ve targeted the department over its effective policing tactics.

We trust Bratton to ensure that any internal NYPD corruption gets stamped out.

Too bad we can’t say the same for City Hall.