Police Uniforms Get New York Extras In Trouble

After the events of 911, the NYPD is going through great lengths to ensure no one will be able to pass themselves off as a police officer in the city.

A New York policy currently allows the NYPD to arrest any citizen found with a replica of the police department's uniform and badge. This greatly impacts New York City-area actors who portray NYPD officers on television shows such as CSI: New York and Law and Order. Preston Hardy, who has portrayed many cops during his long career as an extra, was recently arrested for having in his possession a police uniform outside of the set. Hardy spent two nights in jail and now faces trial and up to a year of incarceration.

The recent outbreak of random searches in the city's subway system makes Hardy only one of the various actors who have been detained by the NYPD for carrying fake police uniforms. In the wake of these arrests, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has advised all New York-area actors and extras to refrain from taking their police uniforms and badges off the set. The Guild met with the NYPD yesterday to address the situation.

"Given the unofficial information we have at this time, the Guild is compelled to advise actors to no longer purchase or carry police costumes in the New York City area," SAG announced in its official website. "Additionally, we have asked the Bloomberg administration to promptly communicate its new policy, so that actors will not be penalized for going to work carrying a tool of their trade in the belief that their actions remain lawful."

According to the NYPD, however, the policy is not new and has not been modified. "There has been no change in department policy regarding police uniforms -- the regulations concerning their use have been (in) effect for many years," the NYPD said last week. "The New York Police Department works closely with the movie and film industry and in fact has specific resources dedicated to covering film locations in NYC, our Movie-TV Unit."

New York-set shows like CSI: New York and Law and Order will most be affected by this policy. Representatives of Law and Order, however, announced they would have no trouble adjusting to it. Though CSI: New York primarily shoots in Los Angeles, the cast and crew is currently in the city shooting scenes for the new season.

Visit Reuters to read the original article. To read the Guild's announcement, head over to its official website.

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