COPS

COPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgYnmN1zwx0

What better place to begin with crime and the media than the classic television show that is COPS. COPS has made a return to television on the channel ONEHD in a new prime time slot. A show such as this, with all its violence, foul language, drugs and general portrayal of seedy crime related activities being broadcast during family viewing time speaks volumes about the public’s insatiable appetite for crime that we have been discussing during this course.  What is it that fascinates us all so much about seeing a cat fight between to crack head hookers or a father pulling a gun on his drunken son for taking his car without asking? Sure it’s hilarious to watch these stories unfolding from the safety and comfort of the couch, but would any of us really like to be involved in these scenarios in our real lives? I highly doubt it. That is the thing with the ballooning popularity of crime in the media: it is (in general) a life that most of us don’t actually live, rarely even see I would imagine, that makes these seemingly crazy lives so interesting to delve into for a half hour or hour at a time. 

I started really watching COPS about ten years ago when I finished work late at night and nothing of note was on television to drag me away from Cops. I was fascinated by the general stupidity of the shows subjects- I still am. The only other crime shows of note that were around at the time were basically the original aw & Order and The Bill. There were other British murder mysteries but they were a lot less frequently aired and seemed to target a much older demographic of viewers.  However, the thing that has me really interested the more I learn about the world of crime and criminal proceedings is the way in which the criminals are treated by the police officers on COPS. The other week whilst watching the show I saw a set of events that astounded me. A man was pulled over whilst driving simply for being in a part of town that is known for substance abuse and prostitution. That alone makes me mad. Sure, it did turn out that he was in possession of crack cocaine, but to not even be allowed to drive around a certain suburb in the safety of ones own car without the fear of being arrested seems ludicrous. What happens next was even stranger. When the man was removed from the car he was immediately handcuffed- a practice that seems commonplace in the States, and may not be that absurd given the love of firearms in that country- then had an officer stick his hands in the man’s mouth to retrieve drugs that the cop suspected the man of carrying. Surely this is far too much an invasion of privacy and human rights neglect than is necessary. Now I understand that many of you will completely disagree with my viewpoint, so I pose this question for you- if the drugs were in the mans mouth, and therefore within his body, should the police not require a warrant to search him?  If the drugs were up the man’s ass and not in his mouth would the officer just as happily gloved up and headed in there too? All I can say is that although I find Cops ridiculously entertaining I hope to God that Australian police never end up with the invasive powers that the cops in the US appear to possess.