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LV's avatar

Thank you for this. I have seen my share of reality cop shows and videos, and they typically scream at the top of their lungs, all at once, things like “get the fuck down on the ground!” “Don’t fucking move!” It’s the “i’m the more dangerous thug than you” shock and awe approach, which hardly conveys any kind of care or professionalism.

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Lucy T's avatar

I watch a lot of European cop shows, and the language is every bit as vulgar, the tone as harsh, the action as violent. There's an interesting dimension that shows up as well: in languages that distinguish grammatically between formal and informal speech, the cops will often choose the informal when questioning a "low life" suspect (a sign of disrespect), formal speech when questioning someone of a higher social class.

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Ulysses Outis's avatar

Cop shows are made for entertainment and, in Europe, styled after American cop shows. I can assure you, having lived in Europe for many decades, that the real coppers are just not the same as in the shows.

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Lucy T's avatar

And maybe cops in the US aren't the same as in the shows either? "Reality" television is, after all, television. In other words, made for entertainment.

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