NCJ Number
61085
Journal
Policy Studies Journal Volume: 7 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1978) Pages: 500-505
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
TELEVISION PORTRAYALS OF POLICE, THEIR ACTIVITIES, AND EXPERIENCES ARE COMPARED TO ACTUAL POLICING.
Abstract
IN GENERAL, TV PORTRAYAL OF POLICE IS INACCURATE AND MISLEADING, CONTRIBUTING TO A GAP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF POLICING AND THE REALITY OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN POLICE WORK. SOME OF THE MORE GLARING INACCURACIES CONTAINED IN TV POLICE DRAMAS INCLUDE AN OVEREMPHASIS ON VIOLENCE AND ACTION IN SOLVING CRIMES, AN OVEREMPHASIS ON TECHNOLOGICAL SOPHISITICATION IN SOLVING CRIMES, THE INCONSEQUENTIAL ROLE OF CITIZENS IN HELPING THE POLICE, THE UNWAVERING SUCCESS OF THE POLICE IN APPREHENDING CRIMINALS, AND OVERESTIMATION OF VIOLENT STREET CRIME WHICH JUSTIFIES THE VIOLENT REACTION OF POLICE. THE SOCIALIZATION OF NEW RECRUITS WITHIN A DEPARTMENT IS FREQUENTLY IGNORED, BECAUSE IT LACKS ACTION PRIORITY. FURTHERMORE, THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF POLICE IS PORTRAYED AS CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF FIGHTING CRIME, WHILE REAL POLICE ARE DELUGED WITH CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE OF A NONCRIMINAL NATURE. POLICE CORRUPTION IS VIEWED IN MOST TV SCRIPTS AS A MANIFESTATION OF INDIVIDUAL FAILING RATHER THAN THE CONDITIONING OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CORRUPTION IN THE AGENCY ITSELF. THE FINDINGS OF THE KNAPP COMMISSION AND VARIOUS FACT-FINDINGS BOARDS SINCE THE WICKERSHAM COMMISSION IN THE 1930'S HAVE DOCUMENTED THE INSTITUTIONALIZED ASPECTS OF POLICE CORRUPTION. THE INTERNAL AND COMMUNITY POLITICS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN POLICE MANAGEMENT ARE FREQUENTLY IGNORED IN THE TV POLICE WORLD, INCLUDING THE POLITICIZATION OF DEPARTMENTS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF POLICE UNIONS, AND POLICE ACTIVITY IN A POLITICAL CAPACITY IN THE SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS. NON-ANGLOS ARE NOT CAST AS CENTRAL FIGURES OR AS OFFICERS IN SUPERVISORY CAPACITIES, AND WOMEN ARE RARELY PORTRAYED AS EQUALS WITH MALE OFFICERS. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)