NYPD stiffs Springsteen

NEW YORK -- Is Bruce Springsteen making the NYPD blue?

The New Jersey rocker closed out his recent world tour with three shows at Shea Stadium, where he reportedly aggravated city police by performing "American Skin (41 Shots)" -- a song inspired by the 1999 shooting of West African immigrant Amadou Diallo by four officers.

After Springsteen played the song during the Oct. 1 opening night, a high-ranking police official ordered that there would be no post-concert police escort for the Boss after his next show, the Daily News reported.

Springsteen, through publicist Marilyn Laverty, declined to comment Wednesday on the report. NYPD spokesman Michael O'Looney, in a two-paragraph statement, danced around the issue.

"As a courtesy, Mr. Springsteen was given a police escort to his boat at the World's Fair Marina following the concerts on both Wednesday and Saturday night," O'Looney said.

Springsteen didn't perform "American Skin" at either of the last two shows.

After Springsteen debuted the song during his 2000 tour, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association -- representing 27,000 police officers -- urged its members not to attend Springsteen's 10 Madison Square Garden concerts.

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