Glen Mazzara writer and producer of The Shield television show shared the backstory of how LAPD threatened legal action against FOX if they ever mentioned them in the series. Running from 2002-2008, FX's The Shield is an American crime drama known for its portrayal of crooked cops. Inspired by the real-life Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) unit from Los Angeles, the show's premise follows the fictional Strike Team who use illegal methods to stage arrests, intimidate people, and take a portion of impoundments. Perhaps the most well-known cast member of The Shield is Michael Chiklis, who played Vic Mackey, but the show featured other notable stars such as Oscar-nominee Glenn Close and award-winning filmmaker and actor Forest Whitaker.
Many may not be aware of the backstory of the LAPD Rampart scandal of the late 90s, which was one of the largest cases of documented police misconduct in America involving 70 LAPD officers who committed several troubling offenses such as planting false evidence, unprovoked shootings, and robbery. In 2011, Oren Moverman directed the film Rampart with lead Woody Harrelson who plays a dirty cop accused of murder amidst the 1990s Rampart scandal, which received positive reviews. Worldwide protests against police brutality that were sparked by the death of George Floyd are ongoing, which has encouraged companies, major figures, and streaming providers to reevaluate their practices that are discriminatory or exclusionary. And, many have demonstrated solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. For example, showrunner Warren Leight ensured Law & Order: SVU would address racism and police brutality in future episodes and Brooklyn Nine-Nine creator and cast made a $100k donation to the National Bail Fund Network.
In a series of tweets, Mazzara spilled the contentious beginnings of The Shield and LAPD's threats of legal action against FOX that forced the show to disclose any mentions of the police force. Mazzara started the Twitter thread by revealing The Shield was inspired by the Rampart scandal, bringing up how the acronym, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH), in and of itself is telling, encouraging people to look into it further. The show was set to be titled RAMPART but Mazzara explains: "LAPD sh-t itself. They threatened to sue FOX if we ever mentioned that our show was based on the LAPD," and that they were told "LAPD was trademarked. Not sure if that's true but that's what we were told."
Mazzara tweeted further: "Watch the show closely. We never say 'LAPD.' Our characters say, 'police' or 'PD' or 'Farmington' but never 'LAPD.'" Because FOX was fearful of potential repercussions, they not only changed their badge designs to look different from LAPD's, but also had the cast wear badges on the opposite side of the chest than the LAPD's. He shares that LAPD "bullied" the studio who nonetheless stood their ground because they knew "it was important to show the ugly side of policing. Especially at a time in which we were begging Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld to do whatever it takes to keep us safe." It is important to note the show was released shortly after 9/11, a time in which many people detested any depictions of cops that were not hero-like or honorable.
Mazzara closed the tweet thread praising the fact a number of creators are examining the role of cops honestly, declaring: "Hold up that mirror, no matter how ugly the truth may be. That’s your f-cking job." Certainly, police brutality and misconduct has been in the news a great deal lately due to the protests, but as Mazzara's thread highlights, these issues aren't new. The LAPD seemingly attempted to silence The Shield's less than positive depiction of their police force even if it reflected reality. One aspect of the recent protests has been folks calling out Hollywood for their many, many depictions of cops as heroes with little to no nuance.
After learning about studios canceling or removing problematic shows in light of protests against police brutality, such as Paramount Network cancelling Cops, it is further reassuring to learn that the writer on The Shield is taking a stand by sharing how the LAPD impacted the show's production. Mazzara's revelations about the LAPD and The Shield offer more insight into the relationship between cops and Hollywood, and some may be startled by just how much a police force can impact a TV show's production. It also may reveal exactly why there aren't as many movies and TV shows that are critical of the police. Perhaps current and upcoming projects can learn from what Mazzara went through on The Shield.
Source: Glen Mazzara