IT’S BALONEY

Full pension for ‘Occupy’ pepper spray cop

AN NYPD deputy inspector who rose to infamy when he peppersprayed women for no apparent reason during Occupy Wall Street has retired with a full pension.

Anthony Bologna — whose inexplicable action cost the city almost $400,000 in lawsuit payouts and got him dubbed Tony Baloney in a popular “The Daily Show” skit — called it a career after 35 years on the job.

Still, his fellow cops will fete Bologna on July 11 at a lower Manhattan restaurant that’s not far from the OWS home base of Zuccotti Park. Event tickets cost $75 at the Battery Park restaurant that features $28 pasta bolognese.

“I think it’s just a little disappointing that he was never really penalized for pepper-spraying me,” said Kelly Schomburg, 24, of Boston. She was 18 when Bologna blasted her. “It absolutely felt swept under the rug.”

Bologna, 63, rose to infamy on Sept. 24, 2011, when he used the spray on protesters, most of them women, at an OWS gathering near Union Square. Video of Bologna approaching the group — which had been corraled behind orange netting — and abruptly spraying them went viral and and helped galvanize the movement that had begun just days earlier.

The city settled at least seven subsequent lawsuits to the tune of $382,501. Bologna lost 10 vacation days and, in October 2011, he was transferred to Staten Island. He retired in April.

The transfer was characterized as disciplinary, but it actually cut Bologna’s commute. Some thought Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. should have brought charges against him.

“Right now, instead of retiring he should be getting off probation,” said lawyer Ron Kuby, who represented some of the pepperspray victims.

Kuby said Bologna’s treatment is part of a Vance pattern of coddling cops.

“The DA allows and encourages police officers to engage in misconduct,” he said. “This cop lost his temper because a bunch of women didn’t do what he told them to do. I hope DA Vance is invited to the party. He certainly earned his invite.”

Schomburg’s lawyer, Debra Greenberger, added, “It's deeply troubling that he has never been held accountable .”

Manhattan DA spokeswoman Joan Vollero sent the Daily News a list of 20 cops for whom the office has either gotten indictments or convictions.

“This office has a clear track record of prosecuting official misconduct cases involving on-duty officers and other uniformed employees, including correctional personnel,” she said.

Within the NYPD, Bologna has his supporters. Roy Richter, head of the Captains Endowment Association, said he had a distinguished run.

“Late in his career, he became well-known for all of the wrong reasons, but overall, he served the NYPD honorably,” Richter said. “He’s leaving on his terms with his head held high and he’s looking forward to a happy retirement.”

Bologna did not return phone calls or emails requesting comment.