In the opening scenes when Shaft is walking through the New York streets, he encounters a man trying to sell him a stolen watch. Shaft flashes a badge and the "vendor" runs away. I doubt if a mere PI's badge (if there's such a thing) would make a crook take off running. Was Shaft, like his namesake nephew (Samuel L. Jackson), a member of the NYPD?
s to the left of me.
s to the right.
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you!
I've never been sure if that badge was legitimate or not. Or it may have been an "honorary" one supplied by his cop pal.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"
Shaft's "NYPD" detective's badge was more than likely a "Dupe". A dupe is a duplicate or fake NYPD badge carried by many NYPD Uniformed officers & detectives off duty or instead of their real NYPD issued badges. This is done to prevent the loss or theft of their real issued badges by the department. It is strictly againsy NYPD regulations, and penalties and/or suspensions usually follow a member of the force caught carrying one "on the job" or off duty. Several articles can be found on the internet about this unlawful practice by NYPD officers. Shaft probably got his from one of the disceet NYC retailers/ dealers who sell these to NYPD officers. A real NYPD officer would NEVER give a private citizen a real or dupe badge. Firing and or other disciplinary actions would be taken by the Police Commisioner if they did.
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