What is the color of the day?
Q: What is the color of the day?
A: The color of the day is a signal used by undercover officers of some big city police departments in the USA. It is used to help stop uniformed police officers shooting undercover police officers who they do not know are police officers.
Q: Who uses this system?
A: The system is mostly known to be used by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the NYPD Transit Bureau (which was called the New York City Transit Police) and the NYPD Housing Bureau (which was called the New York City Housing Authority Police Department) and other law enforcement agencies when they are at work in New York City.
Q: How does an undercover officer use it?
A: An undercover police officer will wear a headband, wristband or other piece of clothing in the same color as the "color of the day"; this color is told to officers at the precinct before they start work.
Q: When did this system first start being used?
A: The system for officer safety first started during violence of 1970s and 1980s New York City.
Q: Is it known by most members of public?
A: No, it is not known by most members of public but it has been written about a lot by newspapers, writers and can sometimes be seen on episodes television shows such as NYPD Blue and recently Law and Order SVU.
Q: What purpose does this system serve?
A: This system serves to help stop uniformed police officers shooting undercover police officers who they do not know are police officers.
