Carol Shaya

Shaya was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel and immigrated to America as a child. Her father and ex-husband Charlie Castro also worked as police officers. Carol Shaya divorced Castro on September 16, 1997 and has since dropped the Castro from her name.

In response, Shaya sued the department for US $10,000,000 for wrongful dismissal and gender discrimination. In her claim, she said that other, male, officers who appeared in pornographic films, not just softcore pictorials, were merely suspended, and not fired. Her lawsuit was criticized by Stanley Crouch in an American Enterprise Institute speech. The case, Shaya-Castro v. New York City Police Department, 649 N.Y.S.2d 711 (1996). , was decided against her, and upheld on appeal.

In August 1994 Shaya, a NYPD officer, appeared nude in Playboy after receiving authorization to engage in outside work from her Captain/Commanding Officer. On October 28, the NYPD filed departmental charges against Shaya seeking her termination for unauthorized off-duty employment and improper use of her uniform and the Police Department logo. Because she had received prior authorization, the Judge overturned the department's termination request and placed Shaya on modified duty on a temporary basis until the media stopped following her while on duty. On March 7, 1995, Police Commissioner William J. Bratton overturned the departmental judge's ruling and terminated Shaya anyway, saying her appearance in Playboy violated the City Charter and the department's rules.

Carol Shaya is a former New York City police officer whose employment was terminated after she appeared in the August 1994 issue of Playboy magazine. She is an actress who trained under Marilyn Fried at the Lee Strasberg Theater and appeared in the Off-Broadway production of Grandma Sylvia's Funeral at the SoHo Playhouse. Carol Shaya is currently a Personal Trainer, Actress, and Model living in West Hollywood, California. She is a member of the Screen Actor's Guild.

The Beaux Arts Society (founded in 1857) crowned Carol Shaya "Queen" of the Beaux Arts Ball, which was held on November 11, 1994 at The Liederkranz Club in Manhattan. Joe Franklin was crowned King at that event and the two of them reigned as Royal Family Members for one year. Carol Shaya is a Life Member of the Beaux Arts Society.

In 1994, Shaya appeared as Sergeant Witoshensky, a recurring role in the television police drama, New York Undercover. Shaya also starred as Detective Fine (Lead) in the film direct-to-video Silent Prey in 1997. Carol Shaya starred Off-Broadway as Dori Grossman in Grandma Sylvia's Funeral at the SoHo Playhouse. In August 2004, The New York Times reported Shaya was selling real estate in the Queens borough of New York City. Carol Shaya now resides in West Hollywood, California where she works as an actress and personal trainer.