There was a very subtle inside joke for cops about on the show.
Ever notice that Det. Fish, Abe Vigoda’s character, was the only guy on the squad who wore a shoulder holster?
They’re actually a pretty lousy way to carry a handgun - they basically present the handle of the weapon towards whoever wants to try to take it from you. They’re also pretty uncomfortable to wear, as they are always rubbing against your side.
But old cops who spend a lot of time on the toilet often wear them, as it is a safer way to carry your gun if you are in a public toilet a lot taking a dump, as your gun is not lying on the floor attached to your belt where anyone nearby or in an adjacent stall can make a grab for it.
Odd bit of trivia: In Dirty Harry, when Harry is running through San Francisco trying to keep up with Scorpio’s telephoned commands on delivery of the ransom money, he gets braced by two punks. The one in whose face he stick the .44 is the actor who played Wojo…