History Main / GenericCopBadges

Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible, so other law-enforcement agencies or equipment is included. For example, London Bobbies' epaulette numbers. In fiction, they all feature the letter "O" in their two-letter code --e.g. [[Series/TheBill SO 171]]. There are no real-life Metropolitan Police divisions with an "O" in their code.

There could be several reasons for this. For one, police badges are often custom-made to a force's specifications, which may be expensive and labor-intensive to reproduce faithfully. Paying that much attention to detail may be too much of a hassle, especially in a series that has a low budget and episodes are set in different places. In some localities, applying this trope is actually a [[EnforcedTrope legal requirement]] to prevent props or vehicles from being misused. Some departments also have a blanket ban on productions accurately replicating their uniforms, badges, and insignia to try and avoid being painted in a negative light, as the Chicago Police Department had for several decades after seeing how it was protrayed in ''Film/BluesBrothers''.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': In "The Shooting", the two police officers who show up near the end have the same generic "POLICE DEPT." patches on their arms as the Dragnet example above as well as what can be assumed to be nondescript badges.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': In "The Shooting", the two police officers who show up near the end have the same generic "POLICE DEPT." patches on their arms as well as what can be assumed to be nondescript badges.

* ''Series/DeadlyWomen'': Some pretty generic-looking emblems are seen on law enforcement officers in different stories. Could be brought down to the show's low budget and the fact that the cases shown occur in various places so would take a great effort to always be accurate.

There could be several reasons for this. For one, police badges are often custom-made to a force's specifications, which may be expensive and labor-intensive to reproduce faithfully. Paying that much attention to detail may be too much of a hassle, especially in a series that has a low budget and episodes are set in different places. In some localities, applying this trope is actually a [[EnforcedTrope legal requirement]] to prevent props or vehicles from being misused.

* ''Series/FuruhataNinzaburou'': The TitleCharacter catches on that a police officer he's talking to is an imposter thanks to this trope. He's wearing an InUniverse {{prop}} that Furuhata recognizes.

* ''Series/Adam12'': {{Averted}}. The characters' badges are authentic, and the series' police consultant brought them to the set from LAPD headquarters at the start of each filming day and returned them at its end.

** {{Averted}}. Joe Friday's badge is a real [=LAPD=] badge, and its badge number (714) is officially assigned to the fictional detective. The badge number was retired when his actor, Jack Webb died, and he was buried with a replica of it.

* ''Series/Adam12'': {{Averted}}. The badges shown are authentic, as the series' police consultant brought them to the set and took them back to LADP Headquarters once filming was done every day.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'': In a clever usage and in keeping with series tradition, the department emblem on Barricade's police car form is actually a Decepticon crest. Also, the motto on his side reads "To punish and enslave".

Badges in many cop shows are generic in the sense that they are poor in detail and tend to have similar layouts and a few standard shapes. At their most basic, badges will have the word "police" slapped somewhere and a non-descript emblem. Even if the work is set in a specific location from our world, the badges and emblems used will often not accurately reflect those worn by the RealLife force in the given jurisdiction.

It often overlaps with HollywoodCopUniform, when it's the whole uniform being misrepresented in media. Related to ChestInsignia, which is a notable icon/emblem on a character's chest.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': In [[MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E06Eegah "Eegah"]], the crew calls attention to this when the "Desert Patrol" shows up in ''Film/{{Eegah}}''.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': In "The Shooting", the two police officers who show up near the end have the same generic "POLICE DEPT." patches on their arms as the Dragnet example above, as well as what can be assumed to be generic badges.

* ''Series/FamilyMatters'' Carl Winslow is a Sergeant, and later a Lieutenant, in the Chicago Police Department. His uniform uses generic "Police Dept." shoulder patches and a generic oval badge rather than the CPD's distinct five-pointed star.

* ''Series/DegrassiJuniorHigh'': In the two-parter "Taking Off", officers are shown in more or less correct Metropolitan Toronto Police uniforms, but with altered emblems (in this case a six-pointed star on their chest-worn on the wrong side, an American-style cap badge, odd shoulder flashes, and the logo on their car based on the real one but modified. [[note]]Toronto officers do not wear breast badges and stars are rare as police emblems in Canada[[/note]] This may have been done to mask the fact that the show was filmed and (at least in the version shown to Canadian audiences) [[CanadaDoesNotExist set in Toronto, Canada]].

* ''Series/HawaiiFive0'': In "Ua Hopu", the uniforms of Japanese police officers have vest patches that say "Special police officer" in Japanese (kanji). Actual vest patches have (kanji) writing which means "National Police Agency".

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': The crew calls attention to this when the "Desert Patrol" shows up in ''Film/{{Eegah}}''.

* ''Series/SWAT2017'': In "Ekitai Rashku", the uniforms of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police are correct, but the emblems on their peaked caps don't show the MPD's Asahikage seal. Which is ironic since the episode was filmed on location in Tokyo.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix wears for a badge France's flag on his right arm and that's about it. If it wasn't for his cap having "POLICE" emblazoned on it, you'd never know he's an officer from looks alone. The background cops don't share that privilege, seeing that they don't sport any badges.

* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne2TheFallOfMaxPayne'': {{Downplayed}}. Detectives do sport NYPD badges, but they carry the same ones as patrol officers, who used the NYPD's famous gold shield in real life..

It often overlaps with HollywoodCopUniform, when it's the whole uniform being misrepresented in media.

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/MaxPayne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne''. Detectives do sport NYPD badges, but they carry the same ones as patrol officers as opposed to the NYPD's famous gold shield.

* Webcomic/AxeCop has his own badge with a picture of an axe and some handcuffs. The motto is, of course, "I'll chop your head off!"

* The British CopShow ''Series/MerseyBeat'', despite its being set near Liverpool, is under an area called "North West County Police".
* ''Series/DegrassiJuniorHigh'': In at least one episode, the two-parter "Taking Off", officers are shown in more or less correct Metropolitan Toronto Police uniforms, but with altered emblems (in this case a six-pointed star on their chest - worn on the wrong side, an American-style cap badge, odd shoulder flashes, and the logo on their car based on the real one but modified. [[note]]Toronto officers do not wear breast badges and stars are rare as police emblems in Canada[[/note]] This may have been done to mask the fact that the show was filmed and (at least in the version shown to Canadian audiences) [[CanadaDoesNotExist set in Toronto, Canada]].
* Carl Winslow is a Sergeant (and later a Lieutenant) with the Chicago Police Department on ''Series/FamilyMatters''. His uniform uses generic "Police Dept." shoulder patches and a generic oval badge rather than the CPD's distinct five-pointed star.
* In the episode "Ua Hopu" in ''Series/HawaiiFive0'', the uniforms of Japanese police officers have vest patches that say "Special police officer" in Japanese (kanji). Actual vest patches have (kanji) writing which means "National Police Agency".
* ''Series/TheLittlestHobo'': In the episode "Rookie", a police dog training academy is shown; the officers are wearing uniforms with shoulder flashes that are almost identical to those of the Metropolitan Toronto Police. However, they are also wearing breast badges shaped like six-pointed stars and a different kind of cap badge. Toronto may not be the actual setting of the episode. [[note]]A blue newspaper box marked "Star" is seen in one street scene; in real life such boxes were used to sell the Toronto Star. However, the name of a different town is seen on the sign at the K-9 academy.[[/note]]
* In ''Series/NineteenTwo'', actual uniforms/gear used by the Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal are depicted, except for the patches/logos. While the SPVM did assist to help get the English/French versions filmed, a standard practice for anyone filming a TV show/movie in Quebec is to use fictional versions. This also extends to patches/logos of the Surete du Quebec.
* ''Series/TodaysSpecial'': This series, set in Toronto, plays the trope straight in the Christmas special, where the officer apprehending Sam for wanting to enter the store on Christmas Eve wears a generic shield-shaped cap badge and an inauthentic shoulder flash. Wholly averted in the episode "Police", which has a vignette where Sam and Jodie visit the actual Metropolitan Toronto Police 52 Division and are shown around by real-life Officer Cathy [=McCormack=]. Even the actor playing Officer Hardy flashes an authentic-looking Metro Toronto Police badge.
* ''Series/StarskyAndHutch'', anyone?
* ''Series/TheShield'', after its first episode, not only uses fake badges, but places them on the wrong side of the uniform, at the request of the [=LAPD=] (due to the portrayal of the cops as...less than upstanding).
** In one of the episodes, Shane is mugged in Mexico and loses his badge. For the next several episodes until he is discovered, he uses a counterfeit one. A fake of a fake.
* ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' uses "METRO POLICE" on shoulder patches and the logos on the Department's vehicles. The story goes that the network approached the Chicago Police Department for permission to use their badge and uniform colours, but the CPD were still embarrassed and annoyed about their less-than-flattering depiction [[Film/TheBluesBrothers the last time they let someone do that]], which is why the show ended up being set in [[NoCommunitiesWereHarmed a city that is obviously meant to be Chicago but is never named on-screen]].
* ''Deadly Women'': Some pretty generic-looking emblems are seen on law enforcement officers in different stories. Could be brought down to the show's low budget and the fact that the cases shown occur in various places so would take a great effort to always be accurate.
* In the episode "Ekitai Rashku" in ''Series/SWAT2017'', the uniforms of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police are correct, but the emblems on their peaked caps don't show the MPD's Asahikage seal. Which is ironic since the episode was filmed on location in Tokyo.
* Exceptions:
** Joe Friday's badge in ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' is a ''real'' [=LAPD=] badge, and its badge number (714) is officially assigned to the fictional detective. The badge number was retired when his actor, Jack Webb died, and he was buried with a replica of it.
*** A minor law enforcement officer character in one episode has generic "POLICE DEPT." patches on his arms.
** The badges used on ''Series/Adam12'' were also real -- the series' police consultant would bring the badges to the set every day, and then take them back to LAPD Headquarters after filming was done.
* ''Series/TheBill'' is another exception, and is allowed to use real London Metropolitan Police decals and badges. This is a relatively recent development, however; in the early days the series was rather less sympathetic in its portrayal of the Met, and relations between them and the showrunners rather less cordial.
* ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2006}}'' tried to avert this - then realised too late that Greater Manchester Police are ''not'' the Metropolitan Police. As a result, Sam Tyler's badge is digitally genericised on the DVD release.
* The crew of ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' call attention to this when the "Desert Patrol" shows up in ''Film/{{Eegah}}''.
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Series/PoliceSquad''; marked police cruisers are seen only in the background; they are highly official-looking black-and-white full-size sedans, very authentic except that the door decals read "POLICE CAR".
* When ''Series/MythBusters'' tested a story of a police badge stopping a bullet, they got test badges from the company that makes the real thing, but genericised (and personalized with the show's name).
* This trope is how the title character of ''Series/FuruhataNinzaburou'' catches on that [[spoiler: the supposed police officer he is talking to is an imposter]]--the other man doesn't notice that the badge Furuhata shows him [[spoiler: is a prop (long story)]].
* In the ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' episode "The Shooting", the two police officers who show up near the end have the same generic "POLICE DEPT." patches on their arms as the Dragnet example above, as well as what can be assumed to be generic badges.