America trusts cops. They are the heroes of our stories. Little kids play cops and robbers, knowing the cops are the good guys. How much has entertainment shaped our cultural view of police, since the reality of police behavior, corruption, and unprovoked brutality paint a very different picture of our officers in blue.

CW: domestic violence, sexual assault, rape

SHOW NOTES:
Vice News: Wall Street is Making Millions Off Police Brutality
USA Today: Municipal taxpayers foot the bill for police brutality with interest-collecting bonds
CNN: How ‘Cops’ shaped public opinion about police and people of color over the last 30 years
NPR: TV Cop Shows Affect Real-World Policing, Study Says
Deseret News: How shows like “Cops” and “Law & Order” affect our views of the police
The Washington Post: TV shows shape how law enforcement is viewed
The Guardian: How does the reality TV show Cops stack up against real-life crime figures
The Intercept: NYPD Cops Who Raped Brooklyn Teen in Custody Get No Jail Time
The Atlantic: Police Have a Much Bigger Domestic-Abuse Problem Than the NFL Does

Order of the White Feather: Rape Culture & Statistics
DOJ: 2018 Crime in the United States
The Orbit: “I am a False Rape Allegation Statistic”