Topic: NYPD shields for civilian employees? (Read 12530 times)

Lance Charnes · « **on:** April 20, 2010, 06:35:55 PM »

I know civilian NYPD employees get ID cards with blue backgrounds on their photos. However, do they also get metal shields, and if so, what color? How do they differ from shields issued to sworn personnel?

I know some departments issue shields to their non-sworn personnel (Contra Costa County gave me one when I joined their OES). I haven't been able to figure out if NYPD is one of them. Thanks.

The Man · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2011, 07:27:07 PM »

Generally speaking the average cilvilian employee does not get a shield. Only Cilvilians who get appointed to high office in the Police Dept. by the Mayor, MIGHT get a Gold Shield. For example, The Police Commissonier gets a Gold Shield. Deputy Inspectors are cilvilians who supervise certain sections of the Police Dept and Police Surgeons and I think Police Chaplins might be issued a Gold Shield.

JIM DOHERTY · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2011, 02:00:23 PM »

Man,

Re your comment below:

Quote from: The Man on May 05, 2011, 07:27:07 PM

Deputy Inspectors are civilians who supervise certain sections of the Police Dept and Police Surgeons and I think Police Chaplains might be issued a Gold Shield.

Welcome aboard, and I hate to make our first interaction here a correction, but deputy inspectors are not civilian employees. They are executive level police officers, ranking above captain, and below a full inspector. Their insignia of rank is an oak leaf (I don't know, off-hand, whether it's gold, like an Army, Marine, or Air Force Major, or a Naval or Coast Guard lieutenant commander, or silver, like a lieutenant colonel or full commander, but it is an oak leaf; a full inspector wears the eagle of a full colonel or a Naval or Coast Guard captain).

What is true is that deputy inspectors (and, indeed, every police rank above captain) is an appointive rank,made by the Police Commissioner, rather than one gained by competitive civil service examinations.

It's also true that the commissioner and his/her deputy and assistant commissioners are, technically, civilians, though they are entitled to carry guns and to make arrests, and they are issued badges (or "shields" as they are invariably referred to by members of the NYPD).