Amac Productions

Yes, I know the police, cops, not everyone’s favorite people. They’re not mine either.

And I’m not here to make excuses for them either.

Actually, I’m here to talk about a TV show that started in 1968 and ran for seven seasons. The show follows two police officers.

One is named Pete Malloy, when the show opens he’s been a beat police officer for seven years and has just lost his partner to an explosion.

His new partner is the other character, Jim Reed. Reed is fresh out the academy and desires nothing more than to be the best cop he can.

Over the course of the show we see typical cop like events you’d see in modern shows, but here’s the thing, the police officers Reed and Malloy respect everyone, and the law.

If you break the law, you’re given a punishment. Even if that person is another cop. Especially then.

The people they arrest or stop are treated fairly and they constantly remind everyone that no matter what people are entitled to their rights. Even if they’re suspected of wrongdoing or have broken the law. They deserve their rights. Even if things don’t work out in court or what have you.

Everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

Several events occur over the course of the series that have made me rethink modern takes on police officers. We’re told to excuse their actions because they’re cops, they’re only human.

But in Adam-12, they’re expected to be better. Not make mistakes or let their emotions get the better of them.

When Jim is told by a friend who volunteers as a police officer that another cop is hurting those who are in their custody, he looks into it. He finds the truth, that the officer enjoys kicking criminals around when they’re no longer a threat and has choked them unconscious.

Reed reports it right away and does everything in his power to hold his fellow officer accountable.

His bosses listen and the officer resigns when the rest of the force won’t believe his lies that Reed is taking a joke too personally.

Another episode features as old friend – another cop – of Malloy. A man claims he shook him down for money, which the cop denies.

Malloy believes him at first but things start looking wrong, he confronts his friend who tries to get out of it by playing the friend card and that he saved Malloy’s life twice. Pete tells him a friend would tell the truth because he’s put a target on all cops.

All the people who think they’re corrupt and aren’t protecting are proven right and now it’s harder to do their jobs because the public won’t trust the good ones.

Malloy turns him in to his boss.

Throughout the show, they prove to be the good guys over and over by doing the right thing.

Malloy broke his own code when he shoved a child molester after he was in cuffs. Reed comforts him by saying if the roles were reversed he would have lost his cool too. Malloy tells him, he would have been just as wrong.

For this Malloy is brought before his superior, who tells him he has a clean record, has never done this before, and is in line for promotion. He trained him, himself and he knows better. The man was in cuffs. He asked him if there was anything he would like to say.

Malloy admits wrongdoing. He said it over and over the episode but he takes the responsibility in front of his boss right there. He said if he could do it over, he would keep his head.

His boss asked him, if he would tolerate it from his fellow officers. Malloy wouldn’t.

His boss wants to know how he’ll handle it in the future. He swears not to lose his cool like that again, he knows he was wrong, and he has no intention of jeopardizing the trust the people around him have bestowed on him.

He’s suspended for four days and takes it without argument.

All in all, the show handles each issue with grace.

Malloy and Reed are two examples of what cops should be.

They always try to solve issues for people.

Such as a bunch of people camping in a park, waiting for a concert. They weren’t allowed to be there so Malloy and Reed were forced to tell them to go. But because of the concert they have nowhere to stay. Reed suggests a church up the street. They have plenty of space for them to camp and are always willing to help. They promise to call the church and let them know to expect them and then post a bulletin at the station so no other police will bother them.

The group leaves peacefully, diffusing a situation that started badly.

Their boss once asked them how they can arrest someone, and the person still ends up liking them.

Simple, they treat everyone with respect and dignity. They give them their rights and don’t overstep. They solutions, not just what the law says.

They choose to be kind.

I think every officer should watch that show as part of their training. It might help!

Thanks for reading!

Check out Adam-12 on Freevee (currently).

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