# Things I learned from watching TV cop shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [May 9, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820 "2023-05-09T18:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/481 "2023-06-14T16:40:31Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > All medical examiners are witty. And enjoy eating sandwiches while they perform autopsies. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/482 "2023-06-14T16:49:12Z")
And enjoy making jokes designed to make a squeamish bystander get sick, and maybe even faint. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/483 "2023-06-14T16:57:53Z")
They did that in _Alien Nation_. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/484 "2023-06-14T19:51:20Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Different time indeed. It was normal to see kids running around with fake guns. Now it’s not normal to see kids running around at all. A fake gun will now get 10 911 calls which require a response. Not in a suburban neighborhood, but yeah, kids are inside played games or texting or something. I do see skateboarders, but not much else. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/485 "2023-06-14T20:04:15Z")
I took a walk around the neighborhood at 3:30pm (suburban/exurban setting, warren of small quiet streets off a semi-busy road). About 200 homes total. I saw dozens of kids biking/scootering around, playing basketball on the street, running between houses (including across the street), wandering in the adjacent wooded conservation land. I’ve been hearing about kids not going outside anymore, but I’ve seen very little evidence of this around here. Maybe in areas that are more built up with more traffic? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/486 "2023-06-14T20:07:52Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I saw dozens of kids biking/scootering around, playing basketball on the street, running between houses (including across the street), wandering in the adjacent wooded conservation land. Cool. We do see some, but not that many. Back to the OP ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/487 "2023-06-14T20:08:16Z")
Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/488 "2023-06-14T20:10:51Z")
No problem, it was a legit post, I just did not want us to keep going down that road. But in my past, the parents kicked us out after breakfast and we didnt come back in (except for lunch) until dark or dinner… during summer of course, etc. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/489 "2023-06-14T20:28:38Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But in my past, the parents kicked us out after breakfast and we didnt come back in (except for lunch) until dark or dinner… during summer of course, etc. Usually with the words “Go. Play.” Oh, the trouble we got ourselves into. And out of, which was more educational in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/490 "2023-06-16T12:39:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > Different time indeed. It was normal to see kids running around with fake guns. Now it’s not normal to see kids running around at all. A fake gun will now get 10 911 calls which require a response. > > Not in a suburban neighborhood, but yeah, kids are inside played games or texting or something. I do see skateboarders, but not much else. It occurs to me that “kids playing with fake guns” never actually went away, it morphed from real-life play with plastic guns to video games like Call of Duty or GTA. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/491 "2023-06-16T13:25:47Z")
Most often strippers know the name of the real killer and will tell you for a twenty. Also, strip clubs are good places to park, right on the main drag with lots of open places. Do not stand next to street displays of fruits. These are often hit by speeding cars. Remember, chain stores like 7-11 are safe. Mom-and-pop stores are the sites of many gruesome crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/492 "2023-06-16T13:32:20Z")
Remember, chain stores like 7-11 are safe. Mom-and-pop stores are the sites of many gruesome crimes. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/493 "2023-06-16T13:43:22Z")
I heard that someplace. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/494 "2023-06-16T15:24:30Z")
From Andy Sidaris movies, I learned that vitally important clues can be found at nude beaches, women’s locker rooms, and mud-wrestling matches. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/495 "2023-06-16T15:32:59Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Most often strippers know the name of the real killer and will tell you for a twenty. Also bartenders. * * * **Bartender:** “Yeaaahh, that picture looks familiar, but my memory ain’t so good…” **Cop** (_slides a $20 across bar_): “Will Andrew Jackson jog your memory?” **Bartender** : “Oh yeah, I seen that guy. He was in here last night, with a hot blonde in a green dress. She looked angry about something.” **Cop** : “you got a name?” **Bartender** : “mayyyybe, but my memory’s getting bad again…” _Cop grimaces and shakes his head, but slides over another $20._ * * * …aaaand scene. Always made me wonder, where do the TV cops get all the money from-- is it coming out of their own pockets, or does the police dept. have an “info bribe” allowance? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/496 "2023-06-16T15:50:59Z")
It comes from petty cash. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/497 "2023-06-16T16:02:03Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Do not stand next to street displays of fruits. These are often hit by speeding cars. And stay away from workmen carrying large sheets of glass across the street. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/498 "2023-06-16T18:04:08Z")
It’s absurdly easy to hotwire any car. Just reach under the dash and pull a handful of wires out and twist any two together. You don’t even need to strip them or determine which wires–any two will immediately start the engine. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/499 "2023-06-16T20:26:00Z")
This just maybe one for ME… I have really bad memory and I am amazed how the detectives will ask a suspect where they were on a particular days years or even decades ago and the suspect will manage to remember in detail everything they were doing on THAT particular day. No one ever seems to flat out say “I don’t remember crap. It was TWENTY years ago.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820/500 "2023-06-17T00:41:38Z")
> [@solost](#): > > > [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > > > Most often strippers know the name of the real killer and will tell you for a twenty. > > Also bartenders. > > * * * > > **Bartender:** “Yeaaahh, that picture looks familiar, but my memory ain’t so good…” > > **Cop** (_slides a $20 across bar_): “Will Andrew Jackson jog your memory?” > > **Bartender** : “Oh yeah, I seen that guy. He was in here last night, with a hot blonde in a green dress. She looked angry about something.” > > **Cop** : “you got a name?” > > **Bartender** : “mayyyybe, but my memory’s getting bad again…” > > _Cop grimaces and shakes his head, but slides over another $20._ > > * * * > > …aaaand scene. Always made me wonder, where do the TV cops get all the money from-- is it coming out of their own pockets, or does the police dept. have an “info bribe” allowance? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uxviBxaSjyc/maxresdefault.jpg "The Naked Gun 1988: Bribe scene") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxviBxaSjyc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-from-watching-tv-cop-shows/983820.md?page=26)