Being a cop in New York City can be challenging. Being a cop in the NYC subway can be disheartening.
The daily environment of the transit cop – the dirt, grime, urine, graffiti, homeless, crowds, noise, and crime is enough to stifle anyone's spirit. Throw in a hefty helping of inept leadership, ridiculous summons and arrest quotas, problems at home, and an unappreciative public and it's no wonder that some cops fall prey to cynicism, apathy and indifference. Police in New York City have a term for these burnt-out cops – hairbags. This is the story of an oddball group of misfits who patrolled New York City's subterranean underworld during the 1980s. This is Hairbag Nation.