New York City has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the release of a behind-the-scenes television project involving the NYPD, arguing that the footage could put officers and civilians in danger if it ever airs.
According to NBC 4 New York, at the center of the legal fight is Jordan McGraw, the son of daytime TV fixture Dr. Phil. City attorneys allege that McGraw and his production company were given rare, close-up access to active-duty NYPD operations to develop a multi-episode series titled Behind the Badge, but failed to properly protect sensitive material captured during filming.
According to the complaint, the access was authorized by then–Mayor Eric Adams during the final months of his term, despite objections from senior law enforcement officials.
Two administration sources familiar with the project described internal concerns about exposing undercover officers, confidential police tactics, and vulnerable civilians on camera.
Those concerns are now spelled out in court filings. The lawsuit claims that rough cuts of the series include unblurred faces, names, and voices of undercover officers, as well as footage of witnesses, crime victims, and people in custody who never consented to being filmed.
City lawyers also say the footage reveals restricted areas and even a secure station house passcode, calling its potential release “an imminent threat to life and safety.”
The city further alleges that McGraw disregarded contractual terms requiring City Hall to review and approve episodes before distribution. Officials say they raised repeated objections after reviewing four rough-cut episodes and a larger batch of unedited footage submitted in December, but were told McGraw intended to market the project for release in 2026.
Now under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city is asking a judge to prevent McGraw and his company from selling or distributing the material in its current form.
McGraw’s attorney, Chip Babcock, pushed back on the lawsuit, arguing that the city is attempting to impose an unconstitutional restraint on speech involving matters of public interest. “Prior restraints are presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment,” Babcock said in a statement.
Adams, meanwhile, defended the project publicly, praising McGraw’s team and saying the series was intended to show “the real story of our brave police officers.”
The NYPD declined to comment.