So, Officer Krupke, Are You for Real?

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

Hoping you’re all enjoying the hors d’oeuvres, the football, the turkey and trimmings and, of course, your families.

I know we’re all busy today, but still, the countdown goes on!

We’ve arrived at Day 27, and I’d love it if you’d join me for a quick look at a famous
New York City Police Department precinct that mirrors those numbers.

If you’re a New York-area guy like me, you’ve probably heard references to the 27th precinct for the better part of a lifetime. All those New York City-based shows, most notably Law & Order (1990 – 2010 AND 2021 – ), featured the brave men and women of the “2-7.” Yep, the longest-running episodic drama in the history of television (actually, one of the spin-off shows, Law & Order, Special Victims Unit is at 24 seasons and counting) and the precinct the flagship show and its offshoots are part of, well, it
doesn’t actually exist.

When the New York City Police Department was originally formed back in 1898,  the numbers of the combined precincts often shifted, For example, the basic allocation of numbers in the five boroughs of New York City were:

Manhattan, one to 39
The Bronx, 40 to 59
Brooklyn, 60 to 99
Queens, 100 to 119
Staten Island, 120 and up

And in the borough of Manhattan, the number 27 was conveniently skipped, paving the way for the faux NYPD heroes and heroines that we look forward to watching every week.

Getting later here in the East, my friends, and I think it’s pumpkin time for this
old man.

So, stay well, stay happy and eat lots of leftovers!

Catch you tomorrow.
JF

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