History Main / NoBadgeNoProblem

* ''Franchise/CSIVerse'':

* In ''Series/TheCoroner'', Jane (the eponymous coroner) tends to take a far more active role in investigations than she really, with Davey sometimes having to remind her that she is not a cop. Of course, she sometimes takes advantage of the fact that she isn't a cop to get witnesses and suspects to reveal things they would never tell the police.

* In the ''Series/BlueBloods'' episode "The Uniform" Danny Reagan's Case of the Week involves an auxiliary officer, a part-time patrolman who is not issued a gun and is usually supposed to call in the real cops. The auxiliary in question brought along his own gun and fired on a suspect. [[spoiler:It was eventually ruled a good shoot, and the auxiliary even got into police academy later.]]

* ''Series/BlueBloods'' does an interesting variant of the trope in the episode "The Uniform": an NYPD Auxiliary officer[[note]]a volunteer reserve police force which is a subdivision of the NYPD Patrol Services Bureau[[/note]] shoots a guy trying to rob his uncle's diner. The auxiliary in question brought along his own gun, in violation of Auxiliary Police policy[[note]]Auxiliary officers in New York City are not permitted to carry a sidearm at any time on duty, even if they are independently licensed to carry a firearm, like this guy was. In other jurisdictions within New York State, some police departments do allow their Auxiliary Police officers to carry a firearm.[[/note]]. It was eventually ruled a good and justified shooting, and the auxiliary even got into the police academy later on.

* In ''Series/{{Castle}}'', although merely a shadowing writer Castle has been given a lot of responsibility within the unit, including questioning witnesses and examining evidence and crime scenes (albeit always with Beckett observing him). Lampshaded in one episode where he excitedly calls a newspaper to acquire confidential information after a brainwave, only to stop when they ask him who he is and hand the phone over to Beckett, sheepishly admitting that "I sometimes forget I'm not actually a cop."

** Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who studies the bones of human remains. She works with Special Agent Seeley Booth to work on cases which require her expertise, and frequently helps interview witnesses and conduct interrogations. In the pilot she even went to arrest the murderer by herself, kneecapping him in the process. (The show admitted this was technically assault with a deadly weapon and she was chewed out both for the crime and general foolhardiness, but no charges were filed.) In her case, they at least explain that her main condition for assisting the FBI is that she be allowed to do the fieldwork not just stay in the lab (because the human side fascinates her even if she doesn't understand it). The other "squints" don't get nearly as much leeway as her, as Booth is always quick to remind them of the boundaries if they get overzealous.

** The original ''Series/{{CSI}}'' gets {{Flanderiz|ation}}ed into this in parodies but it's not as prevalent as it's made out to be. While the [=CSIs=] tend to do things that the police would be the ones to do in real life (like interviewing suspects or capturing them, though the latter tends to happen only when someone they plan to just speak to runs away), Grissom often reminds civilians he isn't a cop, and at one point was told to leave the scene by Brass when it became apparent that a suspect was still there.
** Averted for the most part in the spinoffs, as the characters actually ''are'' full-fledged cops. However one ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' episode had Mac do a technical one of these when he follows his stalker to Chicago, and tries to throw his badge to get into the Tribune building. Chicago PD had to remind him that badges only work in their jurisdiction and he had no power in Chicago.

** A VictimOfTheWeek was a data analyst for the CIA. When his superiors refuse to investigate a possible diamond smuggling operation he discovers, he investigates it himself despite having no field experience, training, or authority.

* ''Film/Brick'' has this in two layers. The Vice-Principal has connections to the police. Brendan is the Vice-Principal's rogue AmateurSleuth (though more because Brendan needs his connections than any actual like of each other). Both of them act as though they have every right to do what law enforcement does, though Brendan takes things significantly further than any rational person should, up to and including going undercover in a drug ring and then assuming the Vice-Principal will cover his absences in class so he doesn't have to deal with consequences for his actions.

* ''Film/Brick'' has this in two layers. The Vice-Principal has connections to the police. Brendan is the Vice-Principal's rogue AmatuerSleuth (though more because Brendan needs his connections than any actual connection). Both of them act as though they have every right to do what law enforcement does, though Brendan takes things significantly further than any rational person should, up to and including going undercover in a drug ring and then assuming the Vice-Principal will cover his absences in class so the actual principal doesn't know and Brendan gets no repercussions.

-> '''Rick Castle:''' ''(to the ''New York Ledger'' over the phone)'' Yes, I would like vacation hold information on two of your subscribers, please. Who am I? I... ''(to Beckett)'' [[LampshadeHanging I sometimes forget I'm not actually a cop.]]\\

--> -- [[Recap/CastleS2E14TheThirdMan "The Third Man"]], ''Series/{{Castle}}''

* ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' offers the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' example of Lance-Constable Carrot Ironfoundersson, who in the absence of Captain Vimes assumes command not only of the night watch, but also the whole City Watch and an increasingly large and well-armed Citizens' Militia. He does this by force of personality and the (unspoken) fact that he is the heir to the throne of Ankh-Morpork. Effectively he is assuming a police rank he has no official title to, but he is only called out twice: once when Sergeant Fred Colon attempts to re-assert ''his'' superior rank (but Fred bows to the inevitable and ends up calling Carrot "sir" and taking his orders -- at least partly because he quickly decides that whatever's happening, he does ''not'' want to be held responsible for it). A second attempt is made by the soon-to-be-disgraced Captain Quirke, but Carrot deals directly with this. The next morning, even Lord Vetinari is certain Carrot is out to usurp ''his'' rank too...

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' manages to extract information from the officers at a crime scene by acting like a pissed-off plainclothes man - largely through scowling and demanding coffee.

* ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' offers the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' example of Lance-Constable Carrot Ironfoundersson, who in the absence of Captain Vimes assumes command not only of the night watch, but also the whole City Watch and an increasingly large and well-armed Citizens' Militia. He does this by force of personality and the (unspoken) fact that he is the heir to the throne of Ankh-Morpork. Effectively he is assuming a police rank he has no official title to, but he is only called out twice: once when Sergeant Fred Colon attempts to re-assert ''his'' superior rank (but Fred bows to the inevitable and ends up calling Carrot "sir" and taking his orders). A second attempt is made by the soon-to-be-disgraced Captain Quirke, but Carrot deals directly with this. The next morning, even Lord Vetinari is certain Carrot is out to usurp ''his'' rank too...

Real police tend to take a very dim view of this practice. However, as was once said of ''Franchise/StarTrek's'' habit of [[TheMainCharactersDoEverything sending the command staff into dangerous situations]], if you're paying for the stars, you damn well better use them.

* ''NewTricks'': Brian, Jack and Gerry are retired police officers and are usually pretty good at identifying themselves as such. However, they do work for the police department as investigators so they have the official authority to question people and access police records.

* Shawn from ''Series/{{Psych}}'' will often tell people he's "The Head Psychic for the SBPD" as if he's an actual officer, when he's actually a consultant/hired-on PrivateDetective. Doesn't stop him from investigating everything and everyone vaguely connected to a high profile or interesting case, even cases he hasn't actually been hired for it. DaChief puts up with it because he [[ButHeGetsTheJobDone gets results]]. It's to the point cops from other jurisdictions have assumed Shawn is the boss and Detective Lassiter is supposed to answer to him, rather than the other way around (though sometimes that's because Shawn ''told'' them as much).

* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'': Phoenix does this constantly, and often [[KleptomaniacHero swipes]] ''[[KleptomaniacHero evidence]]'' from the scene of the crime. However, it's implied that the law in his world differs from real-world law on this point; on several occasions he's shown receiving assistance from the police during his on-scene investigations. There's a very odd line late in game 1 where Phoenix says that he's not supposed to do that. Really? Because it didn't seem to cause you any trouble with the police all the previous times you did it. Quite often, he even ends up doing their work. Especially including using the nifty gadgets for them.

** Averted for the most part in the spinoffs, as the characters actually ''are'' full-fledged cops. However one ''Series/CsiNy'' episode had Mac do a technical one of these when he follows his stalker to Chicago, and tries to throw his badge to get into the Tribune building. Chicago PD had to remind him that badges only work in their jurisdiction and he had no power in Chicago.

* ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' offers the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' example of Lance-Constable Carrot Ironfoundersson, who in the absence of Captain Vimes assumes command not only of the night watch, but also the whole City Watch and an increasingly large and well-weaponed Citizens' Militia. He does this by force of personality and the (unspoken) fact that he is the heir to the throne of Ankh-Morpork. Effectively he is assuming a police rank he has no official title to, but he is only called out twice: once when Sergeant Fred Colon attempts to re-assert ''his'' superior rank (but Fred bows to the inevitable and ends up calling Carrot "sir" and taking his orders). A second attempt is made by the soon-to-be-disgraced Captain Quirke, but Carrot deals directly with this. The next morning, even Lord Vetinari is certain Carrot is out to usurp ''his'' rank too...
* [[TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] occasionally tries to use his Police Consultant ID badge as a police badge, to varying degrees of effectiveness. Murphy, his police officer friend, gets pissed when he does so, pointing out that it's against the law.

* Shawn from ''Series/{{Psych}}'' will often tell people he's "The Head Psychic for the SBPD" as if he's an actual officer, when he's actually a consultant/hired-on PrivateDetective. Doesn't stop him from investigating everything and everyone vaguely connected to a high profile or interesting case, even cases he hasn't actually been hired for it. DaChief puts up with it because he [[ButHeGetsTheJobDone gets results]]. It's to the point cops from other jurisdictions have assumed Shawn is the boss and Detective Lassiter is supposed to answer to him, rather than the other way around.

** Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who studies the bones of human remains. She works with Special Agent Seeley Booth to work on cases which require her expertise, and frequently helps interview witnesses and conduct interrogations. In the pilot she even went to arrest the murderer by herself, kneecapping him in the process. (The show admitted this was technically assault with a deadly weapon and she was chewed out both for the crime and general foolhardiness, but no charges were filed.)

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', Spongebob is made a prefect by Mrs. Puff. He then thinks that he can use the authority to help people outside of his boating school, so he goes to the Bikini Bottom city and finds that the traffic light's broken. Then he steps up as a traffic police and helps the boats cross the crossroads in his usual haphazard fashion. Nothing seems to be bad, until he goes off and it's revealed to the audience (unbeknownst to him) that those cars he helped are piling up in a giant crash. [[RealityEnsues He's then wanted by the police for this.]]

* In ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', though they ''do'' have authorization to be at crime scenes under the {{Masquerade}} of "special ops", and one of their group ''is'' a trained police officer, the rest consist of a pathologist, a computer expert/hacker, and...[[WhatExactlyIsHisJob the guy who gets everywhere to work on time and looks good in a suit]]. In one episode, [[spoiler:Jack has to call the police, who are not happy with this arrangement, for help when everyone but Gwen winds up locked in the base with no power; the officer who takes the call puts it on speaker and calls the entire station over to mock them]].

* In ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', they ''do'' have authorization to be at crime scenes, but the police aren't happy about it (it doesn't help that they're [[{{Masquerade}} not quite sure what Torchwood actually does]]). In one episode, [[spoiler:Jack has to call the police for help when everyone but Gwen winds up locked in the base with no power; the officer who takes the call puts it on speaker and calls the entire station over to mock them]].

* Patrick Jayne of ''Series/TheMentalist'' will usually inform people that he is merely a consultant and not an actual police officer. However, when he deems it necessary he has no qualms about letting people think that he is a full CBI agent.