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September 1, 2006 - After serving 19 years in the New York City Police Department, Lieutenant Anthony Chapman is now a part of the film industry. Lt. Chapman has been named Commanding Officer of the NYPD Movie/Television Unit. In his first week on the job, he had already made set visits to productions including "Law & Order", the upcoming NBC television show "The Black Donnellys," and the “Made in NY” film American Gangster, starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington.
A key factor in the City's success as a prime location for film and television productions is the specialized police unit comprised of 26 police officers and four sergeants who are assigned to different shoots each day. Chapman explained that as an officer in the unit, “you have to be an expert on traffic, you have to keep both the film's cast and crew, as well as the general public safe, you have to know what to do if there is an accident on the set, and you have to know how to work with the paparazzi, all the while being mindful that everyone is just trying to get their job done.” Millions of people fill the streets of the City each day visiting tourist attractions, going to school and work, and enjoying the many activities and sites that New York City has to offer. It is the Unit's job to ensure both that production needs are met and that pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow is maintained.
During a recent set visit to American Gangster at a private residence in Douglaston, Queens, Lt. Chapman was impressed by how well the large-scale production interacted with the community, as residents eagerly watched their neighborhood transformed into a movie set. This new job is quite different from his previous work with the NYPD, a career that began in 1987. Receiving his training in the Lower East Side precinct, Lt. Chapman went on to patrol Coney Island and other areas of Brooklyn. Promoted to Sergeant in 1994, and to Lieutenant in 1999, he investigated auto larceny crimes in Brooklyn South. In September 2002, he began working in Internal Affairs investigating police misconduct and corruption. As he embarks on this new career path in the NYPD, he is grateful for the dedicated police unit he works with everyday and the insights they share with him about the film industry.
Lt. Chapman's hope is to “facilitate a continuing increase of filming and at the same time, create a safe environment for film crews and the people of the city. With productions like "Law & Order," now in its 17th season, and the show's various spin-offs coming back year after year to shoot in New York, it sends a positive message to the film community that shooting in New York is a great experience.”
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