# "My Wife or Mom is kidnapped; you HAVE to let me lead the investigation." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394 "2017-05-11T20:47:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/21 "2017-05-12T19:53:18Z")
I really doubt the competence of a cop who can’t even tell if it’s his wife or his mom who was kidnapped. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/22 "2017-05-12T19:55:51Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Sure. Just like in a situation where the perp and the cop both have their guns drawn, the perp talks the cop into putting their gun down. This makes me yell at the tv. There’s an ok 80’s buddy cop movie, [Shoot to Kill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoot_to_Kill_(1988_film)) with Sidney Poitier and Tom Berenger, where the opposite happens. The bad guy is threatening to shoot a woman unless Sidney Poitier’s character drops his gun. Mr. Poitier states that the only way the killer is getting out of this alive is if he drops his gun immediately. Bad guy doesn’t, gets shot. That scene has stuck in my mind as the only time I’ve seen this scenario subverted. [The scene in very bad quality.](https://youtu.be/4mGQg4H0Icc?t=2h6m25s) ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/23 "2017-05-12T20:02:34Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > One of these days I want to see a scene that goes like this: > > **Chief:** “To get the bad guys, you broke every rule in the book. Hand in your badge and gun.” > > [The cop begrudgingly obeys.] > > **Chief:** “Now…despite your unorthodox methods, we appreciate what you’ve done. We’re promoting you. Here’s your new badge and a bigger gun.” That’s kinda the joke in Lethal Weapon 4, where they get promoted to keep them off the streets. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/24 "2017-05-12T20:18:31Z")
Yup! Deep Space Nine had one. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/25 "2017-05-12T22:02:58Z")
_48 Hours_, as well. It is basically a trope itself. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/26 "2017-05-13T02:22:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I really doubt the competence of a cop who can’t even tell if it’s his wife or his mom who was kidnapped. Well, if it’s _CSI: Alabama_… ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394/27 "2017-05-14T20:10:13Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, if it’s _CSI: Alabama_… Ha-ha! No, then it would be his wife or his cousin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wife-or-mom-is-kidnapped-you-have-to-let-me-lead-the-investigation/786394.md?page=1)