# Myths about the police created by TV and the Internet



## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

I found this on Police One and thought I would share because it seems so many people have misconceptions about what law enforcement can and can't do. Please add only factual information.

20 misconceptions TV taught us about police

20 misconceptions TV taught us about police:

TV cops always answer the phone by speaking their last names, and nothing else. They seldom say, "goodbye" or anything customary at the end of the call. They just hang up. I've never known a real person to do this.
A person's complete pedigree can be obtained by typing only their name into a police computer. Even if your name is Aloysius Dingleberry, there is probably more than one person with that name. If the name is something more common, like "Joe Brown," there will be thousands.
TV computer hackers, especially those employed by the police, can instantly tap into any video feed, satellite imagery, internal database, or record ever created by man, even though the record exists only on paper and has never been digitized.
TV cops involved in deadly force incidents immediately return to duty, often without so much as filing a report.
Many TV cops carry their sidearms without a round chambered, so they can draw the gun and dramatically rack the slide immediately before entering a dangerous situation.
TV cops can transfer between law enforcement agencies totally unrelated to one another (e.g. Atlanta PD to NYPD) and pick up their careers where they left off, usually starting as detectives on their first day.
Cop show bombs always have large digital displays showing exactly when the bomb will go off, and exposed lights so the viewer will know the device is a bomb and that it's activated. No one ever sees these lights until they go looking specifically for them.
People without any apparent source of regular income have access to a steady stream of military-grade firearms, electronics, and explosives.
Rookies will be involved in a shooting on their very first day. Experienced cops will get shot no more than three days from their planned retirement date.
You can be knocked unconscious from a blow to the head with a gun or other heavy object, and suffer no more than a bruise and a headache.
Unless the show is about a federal agent, federal agents all wear expensive suits and are pompous, incompetent [expletive].
TV cops, especially women, can carry and conceal large handguns, extra magazines, handcuffs and badges under the most fashionable outfits, and you will never see them until the moment before they haul them out.
One TV cop can tell another to obtain a search warrant, even though the cop doing the procurement knows little about the premises to be searched and cannot serve as the affiant for the warrant. The process typically takes about 20 minutes.
Women married to TV cops are especially prone to being killed by vengeful criminals or drunk drivers.
Cars involved in TV accidents often fly through the air for no apparent reason before crashing, then explode spontaneously.
Every TV law enforcement agency has at least one "safe house" ready at all times.
Sheet metal ventilation ducts are strong enough to support the weight of a large man crawling through them, are completely unobstructed by fans or baffles, and are accessible by grilles that are easily removed without tools. This is true even in secure holding facilities.
A TV cop can be shot or stabbed repeatedly and still be fully functional, but he will cry out loud when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
TV cops always find parking immediately available just outside the entrance of whatever building they are visiting.
Any TV cop can pick a lock with no more than a bent paperclip.


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## retired guard (Mar 7, 2013)

Phone calls from police stations are confidential
Police are expert shots who never hit innocent bystanders
Police are sent into prisons undercover and no one recognizes them
Police who are wrongfully accused go to prison but stay in General Population defending themselves with superb martial arts skills


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Wah, you mean to say that none of that stuff is real?.joe citizen has been had all these years I guess!.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

My favorites are:

Being shot in pretty much _any_ part of the body is _instantly_ 100% lethal unless your a main character (Lets all hope we're main characters in life's story!) 

Even better? Popping off a dozen rounds from a .357 revolver inside a building and nobody seems bothered by the noise. Or that the other guy has a 12 round revolver!

Most important TV lesson of all! If Kirk and Spock ever hand you a red shirt and invite you along for a trip off the ship... Three go out, but only _two_ are coming back!


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

TV makes good drama, very little of which is plausible. But, I used to love to watch Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, NCIS and The Unit.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

A cop moving rapidly and armed with a pistol can easily take out 3 or 4 stationary snipers at extreme range.

The Bruce Willis laws require all cops to deliver cheesy "hard guy" lines before "unleashing a hurt storm on the perps."

Police are trained to instantly recognize disguised bad guys, even if they are in a crowd of ordinary people.

All police departments are authorized unlimited overtime and commonly work 48 hours straight on their investigations. This is aided by 20 cups of Super Cop Coffee, which never makes you pee.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Jack Bauer wasn't real?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

All semi-automatics have 50 round magazines.

All LEO's can kill anyone at any distance with one shot while running.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Police along with DA's seek justice, Ok that must have been on tv.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Boss Dog said:


> TV makes good drama, very little of which is plausible. But, I used to love to watch Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, NCIS and The Unit.


My favorite and I think the most accurate was Barney Miller.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

sheauselike6 said:


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**** off


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> Police along with DA's seek justice, Ok that must have been on tv.


Ya there are a lot of people that do just that but you would never see it because your such a ****ing asshole.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Meangreen said:


> **** off


See brother, we think exactly alike! I was going to reply with the same thing. Way to steal my thunder though. You're being insensitive again...:grin:


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

all cops can shoot a turd off a gnats ass at 100 yrds with a pistol but couldnt hit a barn with a rifle if they were inside in it
all semi autos when empty with the slide locked back still continue to click when the trigger is pulled 
all cops have a secret stash of Mil grade explosives 
all cops wear a six shot 44 mag in a shoulder rig that never needs reloading 
all cops have access to mil hardware like shoulder fired anti tank weapons 
all cops have supercharged hot rod cars that the supercharger is activated by a switch or Nos
all cops never ever shoot innocent bystanders or run over innocent bystanders in a police chase 
all cops have super ninja martial arts skills 
all cop cars can jump hundreds of feet without an damage on landing 
all cop helicopters can be shot down with a revolver 
all cop cars shot in cop show blow up 
To all the guys in blue this is the hollywood / hollyweed version of life (thanks for your service)


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

WHAT? I thought "all officers" of the law were binge drinkers and "all upper level" superiors tell everyone in the office that they want to see you in his office.
Having the little experience I have with the police, almost every single meeting has been "by the book". Probably 30 or less encounters in almost 39 years.
MeanGreen, notice I "all". 
It takes a real hero to get up everyday and go do a job everybody wants to critque, but nobody wants to do. When I told my fiance about the "sheriff reserve" I want to Join, she was all in, and wants to join also. Some co-workers were like "hell NO, I wouldn't do that job for no pay!" Do I wanna be hero? No, its just like when I was a volunteer firefighter, Its something I feel like I could do, and help with, and it will make me a better person-hopefully.
I know, I have said it-when seconds count, the police are only minutes away- But can you just imagine the world today, if criminals had no fear becouse there were no police?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Deebo said:


> WHAT? I thought "all officers" of the law were binge drinkers and "all upper level" superiors tell everyone in the office that they want to see you in his office.
> Having the little experience I have with the police, almost every single meeting has been "by the book". Probably 30 or less encounters in almost 39 years.
> MeanGreen, notice I "all".
> It takes a real hero to get up everyday and go do a job everybody wants to critque, but nobody wants to do. When I told my fiance about the "sheriff reserve" I want to Join, she was all in, and wants to join also. Some co-workers were like "hell NO, I wouldn't do that job for no pay!" Do I wanna be hero? No, its just like when I was a volunteer firefighter, Its something I feel like I could do, and help with, and it will make me a better person-hopefully.
> I know, I have said it-when seconds count, the police are only minutes away- *But can you just imagine the world today, if criminals had no fear becouse there were no police?*


I was thinking pretty much the same thing recently when one of our more liberal members were calling the police pigs. My 1st thought was he would probably be one of the 1st to be screaming like a baby in a world without the police. Just imagine a world where a criminal faced little to no opposition. Armed and trained LEO's and the possibility of encountering an armed citizen help keep crime down.

The possibility of encountering armed citizens kept the Japanese from invading the US. ::rambo::


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

bigdogbuc said:


> See brother, we think exactly alike! I was going to reply with the same thing. Way to steal my thunder though. You're being insensitive again...:grin:


I better take my sensitive pills!


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Deebo said:


> WHAT? I thought "all officers" of the law were binge drinkers and "all upper level" superiors tell everyone in the office that they want to see you in his office.
> Having the little experience I have with the police, almost every single meeting has been "by the book". Probably 30 or less encounters in almost 39 years.
> MeanGreen, notice I "all".
> It takes a real hero to get up everyday and go do a job everybody wants to critque, but nobody wants to do. When I told my fiance about the "sheriff reserve" I want to Join, she was all in, and wants to join also. Some co-workers were like "hell NO, I wouldn't do that job for no pay!" Do I wanna be hero? No, its just like when I was a volunteer firefighter, Its something I feel like I could do, and help with, and it will make me a better person-hopefully.
> I know, I have said it-when seconds count, the police are only minutes away- But can you just imagine the world today, if criminals had no fear becouse there were no police?


You are crazier than me! Running into a fire when everyone else is running away! You my friend are a hero and know exactly why your brother does what no one else wants to do but a sure happy to talk smack about it. Thank you for your service!

Unfortunately you're right about the binge drinking. Law enforcement have the highest levels of suicide and alcoholism. Everyone deals with the stress differently. We are trying to change that with programs to help our fellow officers and agents.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

inceptor said:


> I was thinking pretty much the same thing recently when one of our more liberal members were calling the police pigs. My 1st thought was he would probably be one of the 1st to be screaming like a baby in a world without the police. Just imagine a world where a criminal faced little to no opposition. Armed and trained LEO's and the possibility of encountering an armed citizen help keep crime down.
> 
> The possibility of encountering armed citizens kept the Japanese from invading the US. ::rambo::


Law enforcements best friend is a armed citizen. An armed citizen is your backup when there is no other, the armed citizen has the situation under control when you arrive. A armed citizen can and will save your life and they have just as much authority to be armed as you do. I hammered this home when I was an instructor at the academy. There are countless stories of citizens saving the lives of law enforcement officers but it will hardly ever make the news.


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

Meangreen said:


> You are crazier than me! Running into a fire when everyone else is running away! You my friend are a hero and know exactly why your brother does what no one else wants to do but a sure happy to talk smack about it. Thank you for your service!
> 
> Unfortunately you're right about the binge drinking. Law enforcement have the highest levels of suicide and alcoholism. Everyone deals with the stress differently. We are trying to change that with programs to help our fellow officers and agents.


Don't forget divorce too. I'd bet it's over 50% and probably closer to a 75% divorce rate.

-Infidel


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Myths about cops? The whole cops and donut shops thing. I LOVE donuts. Almost every week I am in a different city and I always try their local donuts. I hardly ever see cops there. 

On the other hand, when I am looking for a good place for supper, I just drive around between 6:45 and 7:30 PM (roughly during supper break for the 2nd shift) and look for the dive restaurants with two or more cop cars in front of them. Those are the places to go! I know before entering the ambiance is going to be awful (a critical feature when judging a place to eat by yourself) and no matter what I order (even if it is a salad), it will come out hot, brown and taste great.

Cops are absolutely the best ambassadors for the good local food.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Meangreen said:


> You are crazier than me! Running into a fire when everyone else is running away! You my friend are a hero and know exactly why your brother does what no one else wants to do but a sure happy to talk smack about it. Thank you for your service!
> 
> Unfortunately you're right about the binge drinking. Law enforcement have the highest levels of suicide and alcoholism. Everyone deals with the stress differently. We are trying to change that with programs to help our fellow officers and agents.


Don't forget divorce MG. Had two already. The nature of our business destroys relationships. We work odd hours, change shifts/days off every three months. We work holidays when the rest of the family is at home eating turkey, opening presents, celebrating birthdays. We miss our kids' games, often can't make school meetings or events leaving the spouse to handle everything.

More often than not we simply hang with other cops because they understand us. We're viewed as anti-social because of it, and assholes when a friend who isn't a cop, does something illegal, expects us to let them go, and we have to arrest them because we are bound by law to do so.

We come home and we don't talk about the tragedies we see everyday. We don't talk about the terrible, shitty things human beings do to one another on a daily basis. Sometimes because we can't as the information is classified, other times because it is too painful and we'd rather forget about it. But we never do.

My wife received a phone call one day from our regional trauma center. This is where the worst medical trauma's are taken, especially gunshot wounds. She had not heard from me that day, and she saw the name of the trauma center on caller ID. She said she was afraid to pick up the phone because she didn't want to hear that I had been shot and was dead. The nurse identified herself and was able to get out "Your husband was brought into the trauma center by ambulance..." before my wife burst into tears and became hysterical. I could hear her in the background calming my wife down, telling her "He's going to be okay".

The lack of normalcy and the stress can drive a relationship straight into the ground. It can alienate you from your own family. It can make you cynical. It can cause your spouse to give up because they tire of watching you walk out the door, wondering if this shift is THE shift where they become a widow or widower and they get to raise the family without you. There is nothing that is kind about being in law enforcement. The sacrifices and loss, personally, psychologically, emotionally and physically, are numerous and costly.

Yet we never complain because it is a "sign of weakness". So instead, we become alcoholics, we blow our brains out or we destroy everything that is dear to us, because in our pursuit to help others cope with the tragedies in their lives, we often are unable to cope with our own. You have us to turn to when all else fails, we rarely have anywhere to turn.

As many of you know, I am a very vocal supporter of limited police powers. Even though I am one, and especially BECAUSE I am one. But for those who want to bash us, make fun of us, call us names, tell us how useless we are;

Until you have walked a mile in our shoes, 
until your spouse has received phone calls from the hospital, 
until you have had to go under the knife, 
until you have had someone try to kill you for no other reason than you wear a badge, 
until you have been in a legitimate fight for your life, no holds barred,
until you have had your spouse walk out the door with your children because they can't "take it anymore", 
until you've knocked on a mothers door at three in the morning to tell her her only child is dead, 
until you've walked into a homicide scene where an entire family has been wiped out, 
or a wife beaten so badly her own children can't recognize her, 
until you've seen a little girls insides turned inside out from being raped,
or the baby who was cooked in the oven by its parents because the devil told them to...

I would prefer you either say thank you, or nothing at all.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

And lastly, police are to protect and serve. Per the scotus they are not required to protect. Of course many LEO's have and will protect and give their life doing so, but they are not required to do so. Surprised? Look it up.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Infidel said:


> Don't forget divorce too. I'd bet it's over 50% and probably closer to a 75% divorce rate.
> 
> -Infidel


So very true.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Inor said:


> Myths about cops? The whole cops and donut shops thing. I LOVE donuts. Almost every week I am in a different city and I always try their local donuts. I hardly ever see cops there.
> 
> On the other hand, when I am looking for a good place for supper, I just drive around between 6:45 and 7:30 PM (roughly during supper break for the 2nd shift) and look for the dive restaurants with two or more cop cars in front of them. Those are the places to go! I know before entering the ambiance is going to be awful (a critical feature when judging a place to eat by yourself) and no matter what I order (even if it is a salad), it will come out hot, brown and taste great.
> 
> Cops are absolutely the best ambassadors for the good local food.


Donuts and lousy food are staples in a law enforcement officer's life. I'm really making a change by trying to bring healthy meals to work because I know I'm more likely to have a heart attack than a gun shot wound.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

bigdogbuc said:


> Don't forget divorce MG. Had two already. The nature of our business destroys relationships. We work odd hours, change shifts/days off every three months. We work holidays when the rest of the family is at home eating turkey, opening presents, celebrating birthdays. We miss our kids' games, often can't make school meetings or events leaving the spouse to handle everything.
> 
> More often than not we simply hang with other cops because they understand us. We're viewed as anti-social because of it, and assholes when a friend who isn't a cop, does something illegal, expects us to let them go, and we have to arrest them because we are bound by law to do so.
> 
> ...


You said it in a way I can't. Thank you brother.


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

bigdogbuc said:


> Don't forget divorce MG. Had two already. The nature of our business destroys relationships. We work odd hours, change shifts/days off every three months. We work holidays when the rest of the family is at home eating turkey, opening presents, celebrating birthdays. We miss our kids' games, often can't make school meetings or events leaving the spouse to handle everything.
> 
> More often than not we simply hang with other cops because they understand us. We're viewed as anti-social because of it, and assholes when a friend who isn't a cop, does something illegal, expects us to let them go, and we have to arrest them because we are bound by law to do so.
> 
> ...


You'll not hear me bashing you guys that's for sure. I will say thank you though, you guys do a job that I could never do

-Infidel


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Infidel said:


> You'll not hear me bashing you guys that's for sure. I will say thank you though, you guys do a job that I could never do
> 
> -Infidel


Amen!


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Infidel said:


> You'll not hear me bashing you guys that's for sure. I will say thank you though, you guys do a job that I could never do
> 
> -Infidel


Ditto that


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## Gunner's Mate (Aug 13, 2013)

this Post is about Hollywood myths not bashing LEO


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