Best Cop Movies: Police Academy ... Awards

At POLICE Magazine, we've had a few debates around the office about the best cop movie ever made. However you define it, we'd like to hear from you about which cop movies you like best.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

February 18, 2010

Best Cop Movies: Police Academy ... Awards

1 min to read

Do you ever find yourself debating cop movies in the lunchroom or hallways of the police station? When a new cop movie arrives in theaters, do you look forward to seeing how officers will be portrayed?

At POLICE Magazine, we've had a few debates around the office about the best cop movie ever made. We know "best" is a highly subjective word that means something different to everyone. It may mean the most authentic or realistic portrayal of officers. It may be the movie with the best action or gunfights.

However you define it, we'd like to hear from you about which cop movies you like best.

Please take our survey for a chance to be entered in a drawing for a chance to win the top DVDs chosen by your peers.

We put together a list of 25 movies to get you started, but feel free to add your own favorites. We'll announce the Police Best Cop Movies on March 4, so vote today! We'll draw the names of five people who vote to win a collection of the favorite cop movies on DVD.

Pick your favorites here: Best Cop Movies.

We'll announce your choices for best cop movies in the March 4 issue of "On Target."

Topics:cops in tv and movies Training Patrol

More Patrol

image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships

Patrol•December 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.

Patrol•by Edited by Staff•November 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department

Patrol•November 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•November 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.