Universal kicks father out for wearing Police shirt.

[Tonka's Skipper]

It seems odd UNI or any theme park would throw them out without good reason! Its never good for PR.

I am sure there is more to this story and you have to remember all we have here is the Fathers/family side.

No one with common sense would wear a T shirt (especially a real one) ID'ing them as law enforcement as it can easily cause problems.


AKK

 

[unkadug]

Isn't impersonating a Police Officer an arrestable offense? He should be happy he was just booted out of the park.

 

[danpam1024]

I dont know if this has been posted elsewhere, but check this out.
http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/father-thrown-universal-studios-over-t-shirt-171900772.html

Disney would have given the man another shirt to wear.

technically- he IS impersonating an officer!

 

[CtDisneyGuy33]

Ok, I do not condone any illegal activity while at any park BUT did you really think the father of a couple kids walking through the park was doing something related to " Police Street Crime Unit"? I can't see that shirt with some guy walking around and getting on rides as being confused as an active officer. Unless he made some other kind of apparent action that could possibly confuse him with a police officer, say having a badge, stopping guests, etc, I think UV overreacted a bit with this.

I have plenty of shirts that say "Salem Police" or whatever that I was planning on bringing. Unless I confuse someone as a police officer, they should make no concern of me. I have a James Bond shirt, but don't have any of his cool gadgets nor am I British Secret Service (although I wish I was).

Like the above poster said, this had to be a result of more than the story. If indeed the wife was berating people, I can them looking for a reason.

 

[draybook]

Wearing that shirt doesn't warrant impersonating an officer. Wearing a fake uniform with the intention of making others think you're an officer is defined as impersonating an officer. And the media telling the whole truth? Yeah, and there's also WMD's in Iraq.....

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

Wearing that shirt doesn't warrant impersonating an officer. Wearing a fake uniform with the intention of making others think you're an officer is defined as impersonating an officer. And the media telling the whole truth? Yeah, and there's also WMD's in Iraq.....

Just haven't found them yet

 

[Tom Morrow]

It seems odd UNI or any theme park would throw them out without good reason! Its never good for PR.

I am sure there is more to this story and you have to remember all we have here is the Fathers/family side.

No one with common sense would wear a T shirt (especially a real one) ID'ing them as law enforcement as it can easily cause problems.


AKK

There is more to the story. Did you read the thread?

 

[LondonGopher]

Oh, I have a funny story about this sort of thing. My family was at DLP, in the Q for those spinning "Cars" cars, and about six people in front of us was a young Italian guy wearing a t-shirt that said (in English), "S*CK MY..." (I'm sure you can guess the rest). Now I grew up in the nightclub business so I'm no prude and I've seen it all (believe me...), but no. Really. No.

The funny part: My kid, who was 4 at the time and REALLY EXCITED about trying out his reading skills...yes, he did. Him (loudly, in the way only little kids with their piping voices can be): "Mommy, why does he want people to suck his [rooster]? We'd get feathers in our mouths!"

In England roosters are more often called C0ckerels (or that word's shortened form) and he only knew that meaning of the word. There was much chuckling from the other English speaking guests in the line but I was scarlet.

Hubby and I are both French speakers and later that day we got talking to a CM and I mentioned the shirt. She laughed and said it was obviously a popular one in Italy that year as she'd seen it a couple dozen times on young Italian fellows. She said only English people (speakers) complain about that sort of thing...this I can believe.

Also many years ago at a WDW I saw a guy with a shirt that said "I Have to P00P". Never did figure that one out...

 

[DrewmanS]

Ok, I do not condone any illegal activity while at any park BUT did you really think the father of a couple kids walking through the park was doing something related to " Police Street Crime Unit"? I can't see that shirt with some guy walking around and getting on rides as being confused as an active officer. Unless he made some other kind of apparent action that could possibly confuse him with a police officer, say having a badge, stopping guests, etc, I think UV overreacted a bit with this.

I have plenty of shirts that say "Salem Police" or whatever that I was planning on bringing. Unless I confuse someone as a police officer, they should make no concern of me. I have a James Bond shirt, but don't have any of his cool gadgets nor am I British Secret Service (although I wish I was).

Like the above poster said, this had to be a result of more than the story. If indeed the wife was berating people, I can them looking for a reason.

The shirt has POLICE in large letters like many police department special or tactical units wear. 1) In an emergency, guests or others may see the shirt and expect some response from the individual. 2) The guest could use the shirt to curry favor (i.e. guest letting him pass in line thinking he is an officer) 3) When my children are at Disney or a store, they are taught if they ever get lost to look for someone with an ID badge or a police officer. You don't want kids approaching this individual. As the park does not know the intentions of the individual and does not want any confusion with on-duty officers or security, I think asking the individual to remove the shirt is justified. If he was wearing a polo shirt with a small logo on the pocket or a T-shirt from a "Police 5K race", that would be a different story.

 

[jimmyjam1973]

There was a kid in front of me last Friday at Island of Adventures who hat read *#ck Love. Didn't notice it until my 8 year old said, Daddy that boy has a bad word on his hat. Saw him at least 2 more times during the day and was still wearing it.

 

[EOD K9]

I happen to agree with @draybook and @DrewmanS Impersonating is actually trying to convince people you are the Police by what you are wearing and doing. However, in a crisis, people may see the shirt and think he is there to help. Just give me my free designer shirt with the mouse on it and I'll enjoy the parks, thanks.

Actually, just be smart and don't wear anything controversial.

 

[tare]

The guy prob isn't telling the whole story. How would they know if he was a real cop or not anyway.

 

[CtDisneyGuy33]

Again, I understand what everyone has said, but the fact the guy has a POLICE shirt shouldn't mean he is a police officer. I understand kids looking for police, but thats what bright yellow shirts that say "security" are for. In WDW or wherever, if you attend a function or go to a public place, they have security for that purpose, so no public member has to police the activity.

Example, EOD K9 is a big KISS fan. He wears a "Doctor Love" shirt, it doesn't make him a doctor. He should not be approached for anything medially related unless he overtly puts himself out as a doctor. Its a shirt.

I've seen "sharpshooter" shirts, "offical spokeperson for blahblah" shirts, "Big Daddy EMT" shirts, all kinds of sport shirts, etc. These are simply clothing that our society now seems that is trendy to have titles on the back. It should not be considered something more than that -- unless you take the overt act of holding yourself out as that.

What if I saw someone stealing something in the Park, should I run up to that guy or to the security guy in the yellow shirt, with the walkie and the ear piece?

Sorry EOD K9, I saw your name fast and I'm a KISS fan..lol.

 

[CtDisneyGuy33]

The story is the guy should have taken the free shirt- Disney never gives out good freebies!

 

[Neverland]

In regards to Disney, main entrance CMs are not supposed to let offensive shirts into the park, but it's happening wayyyy more in recent years. I don't know if it's because they don't care anymore, or they're too scared to say anything (or they've always been lax, and it's the public getting more vulgar). I think what they're supposed to do is mention it to the guest, then have a manager come and deal with it by either offering a new shirt or asking them to turn the shirt inside out. Technically, entrance CMs are not supposed to let in exceedingly revealing tops (bandeaus, ladies wearing only a sports bra, just a bikini top, etc) or bottoms (cheeks hanging out of the bottom, thongs at the water parks) either, but I see all those things almost daily. I'm not main entrance, but I've seen my managers ask ladies with their shirts rolled up to their to roll them back down, guys with shirts off or open to put them back on or close them, and for offensive shirts to be turned inside out.

Seriously though, I've seen some shirts that I cannot fathom why anyone would want to wear to a Disney park, or even in public. Shirts covered in curses, homophobic shirts, stick figures flipping you off or doing the nasty... It just bugs me to no end that they were even let into the park when the rules state that they shouldn't have been. Maybe I'm just a prude, but it just upsets me to see that stuff in Disney parks with all the families around.

 

[EOD K9]

Again, I understand what everyone has said, but the fact the guy has a POLICE shirt shouldn't mean he is a police officer. I understand kids looking for police, but thats what bright yellow shirts that say "security" are for. In WDW or wherever, if you attend a function or go to a public place, they have security for that purpose, so no public member has to police the activity.

Example, EOD K9 is a big KISS fan. He wears a "Doctor Love" shirt, it doesn't make him a doctor. He should not be approached for anything medially related unless he overtly puts himself out as a doctor. Its a shirt.

I've seen "sharpshooter" shirts, "offical spokeperson for blahblah" shirts, "Big Daddy EMT" shirts, all kinds of sport shirts, etc. These are simply clothing that our society now seems that is trendy to have titles on the back. It should not be considered something more than that -- unless you take the overt act of holding yourself out as that.

What if I saw someone stealing something in the Park, should I run up to that guy or to the security guy in the yellow shirt, with the walkie and the ear piece?

Sorry EOD K9, I saw your name fast and I'm a KISS fan..lol.

I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Actually, that's not true, I'm a DVC member and would not stay at a HIE in WDW. But you get the idea.

 

[EOD K9]

In regards to Disney, main entrance CMs are not supposed to let offensive shirts into the park, but it's happening . Technically, entrance CMs are not supposed to let in exceedingly revealing tops (bandeaus, ladies wearing only a sports bra, just a bikini top, etc) or bottoms (cheeks hanging out of the bottom, thongs at the water parks) either, but I see all those things almost daily.

.

But what if the woman is a really swell looker?

 

[christian jarosz]

Their is a different side to the story. Universal offered to go to billabong to get him a new shirt and while there the wife threw a big hissy fit which escalated which caused security to throw them out. Of course he's not going to admit that because it would make him at fault. His wife should have kept her mouth shut, then this would have never happened. Source: friend in guest services

Just to set the record straight. Nobody got loud just asked to see their policy . They could not prove it, so for all we know it could be made up. Second , universal did not offer to buy shirt. Christian and family went in the store and they followed to comply. Impesonating a police officer is when you have i.d., a badge, or telling people that you are an official officer. You are missing the point that it is just a shirt. They sell them everywhere. I still will wear it proudly as it is my brothers.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

Being a law enforcement officer, I can see UNi's point. It clearly says POLICE on it. We call them raid shirts and are usually worn when kicking down a door or two. I have worn shirts that have my K9 unit designs on them but, it is really a unit shirt and not meant to identify anyone. I've never had a problem with them in the parks. The other ones are worn for ID purposes. Now, that being said, if Disney or UNI offered me a free shirt and then let me in, I'd take it. How often does the average Joe ever get comped from them?

The ladies on this forum need to see a picture of you in the shirt. For comparison purposes of course

 

[CtDisneyGuy33]

But what if the woman is a really swell looker?

I think all bets are off then!