The TV Show COPS

1845 Words4 Pages

The television show COPS is one of the longest currently running television shows in the U.S. Its creators John Langley and Malcolm Barbour aired their first season in 1989, showcasing their iconic “Bad Boys” theme song. COPS follows a documentary format, providing insight to the exciting field of police work and often focusing on life through the eyes of a beat cop. Film crews shadow police officers in their everyday operations without any narration or scripts. Along with patrol officers being shadowed, the show will occasionally show sting operations where drug dealers and prostitution is combated. COPS is a very fast paced show, often displaying high intensity situations police go through in their normal work day. In addition, patrol …show more content…

Film crews do not interact with police operations, they simply shadow patrol officers often in dangerous situations. In the show negative connotation of police is rarely seen, the show often displays police doing their work correctly and without malice. Although never directly referred to, the show often finds itself humanizing police officers and portraying them as peers just doing their jobs. Their insight of police work often sides with pro-police mentality as the show spends most it’s air time displaying operations of police rather while often neglecting insight from perpetrators. COPS portrays police as everyday people who have vowed to better a community, while the show emphasizes high intensity situation for a more entertaining viewing experience. Officers are often seen exercising values of community-based policing, attempting to combat problems beyond crimes by working with community members and staying personally involved in their surroundings. Overall police are portrayed in a positive manner when police seen in the show maintain suspect rights and attempt to provide the best outcome for suspects and community members (Barbour & Langley, …show more content…

During this time in the show officers usually will explain laws broken and regards for their personal safety to justify their use of force or their actions (Barbour & Langley, 1989). Use of force is a “hot topic” in policing today, many people have a misunderstanding of the use of force continuum discussed in class. Use of force is very commonly seen in COPS and if officers were not allowed the opportunity to explain their actions the show could create a poor representation of police officers. Luckily the show attempts to clarify use of force by allowing the shadowed officer a chance to explain their actions after the incident. An example of reasonable use of force is seen in the show when an small female officer has to use her taser neglects to follow commands of the officer and keeps walking toward her, a larger male officer probably would not have to use a taser to subdue the man but the female officer feared for her protection so the force was justified (Barbour & Langley, 1989). Factors like officer size can account for how much force is used in a situation. When people claim excessive use of force they often neglect to consider officer and public safety and will quickly assume officers are abusing their

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