A question about the cop hierarchy...

[homercles337]

I have been watching The Shield season 5 with Forrest Whittaker as the Lieutenant "cop" in IAD. He does some really outlandish things and it got me wondering if IAD is really the top-top echelon of cops? Or maybe its because he is a Lieutenant (but that is lower than Captain?) and IAD? Or is this just drama TV?

Cliffs:
Can an IAD cop do whatever the hell s/he wants to other cops?

 

[Fritzo]

From the wife (15 year police verteran): It's all BS. If 1/8th of the stuff that happens on that show happened in real life, the police dept would be shut down and reorganzied.

 

[jlee]

Or is this just drama TV?

Bingo.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
From the wife (15 year police verteran): It's all BS. If 1/8th of the stuff that happens on that show happened in real life, the police dept would be shut down and reorganzied.

What about IAD specifically? I wasnt asking about all the other clearly fictional things that are drummed up. Does IAD really have that kind of power?

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: Fritzo
From the wife (15 year police verteran): It's all BS. If 1/8th of the stuff that happens on that show happened in real life, the police dept would be shut down and reorganzied.

What about IAD specifically? I wasnt asking about all the other clearly fictional things that are drummed up. Does IAD really have that kind of power?

No. Heck, they have to gather evidence for months and just to bring up an investigation. All of their actions are also public and often targeted by the press.

 

[Legendary]

I'm not making any judgments on Fritzo's wife's department, and no doubt The Shield (a show which I love) is sometimes WAY out there, but I think different departments handle things differently, and a metropolitan police force would more than likely have different procedures to handle internal investigations.

Forest Whitaker's character in the show is totally perfectly insane though. Loved Season 5.