A federal judge has dismissed a NYPD officer’s lawsuit that claimed his superiors punished him for complaining about arrest quotas in his Bronx precinct.

Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled Monday that Officer Craig Matthews’ complaints were not constitutionally protected because “he spoke as an NYPD employee, not a citizen.”

The lawsuit claimed Matthews’ superiors created a system where officers were awarded points for certain summonses, and officers who didn’t meet the quotas were punished.

The New York Times says the judge acknowledged that Matthews’ complaints “had undeniable value to the public.” Engelmayer said the quota system the officer protested would, in fact, violate New York State law today.

The suit was filed in February 2012. It was dismissed before but reinstated in November 2012.

Matthews’ lawyer said he would appeal.

(AP)