Warning! SPOILERS ahead forLaw & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 11, “Deductible”
This article also discusses an episode that involves rape, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.
Law & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 11, entitled “Deductible,” secretly sets up a significant future problem for Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). “Deductible” can be considered one of thesaddest episodes ofLaw & Order: SVUin recent memory. It revolves around the team’s efforts to get justice for Kyra Thompson (Nicole Zyana), an up-and-coming salesperson who has been raped by a company client. Kyra is caught between her need for justice and her fear of losing custody of her 9-year-old brother, who she has been taking care of since her parents' death.
“Deductible” is an interestingLaw & Order: SVUepisodebecause it exposes the problem of sexual exploitation in the workplace. Most of the episode is focused on the cops' attempt to prove that Kyra’s boss, Frank Bailey (David Alan Basche), is trafficking female employees as part of his strategy to close deals. After Bailey’s arrest, “Deductible” switches focus to the court case against him. However,Law & Order: SVUseason 26, episode 11, opens with a seemingly unrelated conversation in the squad roomthat could foreshadow future problems.
Fin & Velasco Discuss Overtime Pay In Law & Order: SVU
There Is A Serious Problem Hidden In The Cops' Banter
During the pre-credits sequence, Fin (Ice-T) asks Velasco (Octavio Pisano) to confirm that he put in for 20 hours of overtime pay, which Velasco claims is “all legit.” The cops then joke about the overtime issue, with Silva saying that she has an “in” with IAB if Fin wants her to investigate, and Curry responds, “Don’t drag me into this.” However, the issue is more serious than it appears, asLaw & Order: SVU’s Benson comes in and tells Fin that 1PP wants that overtime pay report as soon as possible.
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The overtime pay discussion is soon put on hold because a police officer comes into the squad room with Jay Thompson (Leo Easton Kelly) to report that Jay’s sister is missing and that she’d rather SVU help him than call Child Protective Services. Once the case begins, the SVU team doesn’t return to the overtime pay issue. However,it’s likely this problem will come up again in future episodes ofLaw & Order: SVU,as it seems like an important issue that needs to be addressed.
How A Potential Budgetary Issue Can Pose A Unique Challenge For Benson’s Team
It Would Underscore A Conflict Between the NYPD Administration And Benson’s Mission
A budgetary conflict would lead to a strong arc forLaw & Order: SVU.The department has been short-staffed for years —Benson’sLaw & Order: SVUseason 26 teamis the first time she’s had more than two detectives at her disposal since Rollins' departure in the middle of season 24. However, the NYPD administration might see the new, fully-staffed department as excessive and pressure Benson to cut team members to save money.
…if the NYPD pressures Benson to cut staff, it could lead to the departure ofLaw & Order: SVU’s Kate Silva…
Ironically, if the issue is overtime pay, it suggests Benson needs more personnel, not less. However, the NYPD administration might be more concerned about their current bottom line and limit the hours Benson’s staff can work while suggesting cuts. This conflict would illustrate a serious problem within the NYPD: the department taking sex crimes less seriously and not wanting to fully fund the Special Victims Unit. Additionally, if the NYPD pressures Benson to cut staff, it could lead to the departure ofLaw & Order: SVU’s Kate Silva or other new staff members, making it harder to investigate sex crimes.
