The Truth About This NCIS: New Orleans Wardrobe Flub
Fans praise the "NCIS" franchise for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, it's the memorable cast of characters that become fan favorites. Other times, it's the fantastic locations the shows are set in, like "NCIS: Los Angeles," which regards L.A. in such importance that most scenes are shot at day. But one thing "NCIS" has prided itself on is its attempt at realism.
The franchise may have blended reality with fiction a few times, such as when "NCIS: Los Angeles" provided the biggest non-CGI explosion for an episode. And the series does like to go into ludicrous territory with some of its characters' names, like Thomas "Tom" Morrow or Jessica "Jess" Terdei. But for the most part, "NCIS" has consistently grounded itself as much as a network procedural crime drama can, especially when it comes to emulating actual law enforcement. However, despite being as realistic as it can, there are instances when the series makes a few mistakes, such as "NCIS: New Orleans" did with a minor wardrobe flub regarding where characters wear their holsters.
Actual law enforcement may not holster their weapon like Dwayne Pride
Fans of "NCIS: New Orleans" may have noticed that main character Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) and a few other agents place their handguns in small-of-the-back holsters. While this might seem like a realistic emulation of actual law enforcement, this may be more of a mistake, given where most on-duty officers holster their weapons. For instance, in an official directive for the Chicago Police Department, holsters for officers should be worn attached to a trouser or equipment belt parallel to the leg.
This type of holster rule for law enforcement might have to do with the numerous setbacks a holster at the small of the back may present. In a since-deleted Idaho State Journal article written by a concealed handgun instructor, the type of holster worn by Pride on "NCIS: New Orleans" would make it awkward to draw and very uncomfortable to sit with since it pushes the weapon closer to the spine. But the biggest reason it's avoided is the potential danger it poses to the handgun owner. As an article from Police 1 highlighted, if a person with a small-of-the-back holster falls, they could injure their spine on the gun's hammer. Besides the obvious pain, it could also cause paralysis. So while Pride's holster might have looked suitable for the camera, it's not really practical.