Wednesday, Lafayette, Indiana

The decade of the 1990’s was characterized by the rise of the realistic police drama. In addition to the legendary Law & Order series, the 90s saw popular NBC hit Hill Street Blues. However, Homicide: Life on the Street expanded the realism of the police show in unprecedented ways. Among its unique features was its setting in Baltimore, Maryland. Taking a cop show out of New York and LA was an imaginative step, and yet demonstrated that in every city across the country loan enforcement faced the same challenges in the street and within the precinct.

The show had great characters including, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, later transitioned into the Law & Order SVU series, and especially the dynamic actor Andre Braugher who brilliantly embodied the struggle to maintain a psychological balance while bringing in moral certainty to the mean streets in the sociopaths he encountered.

Among the unique features of the production, included the odds sounds, devoid of background music and constantly interrupted by the strange ring tone of the department’s telephone. Much like the officers in Hill’s Street Blues, these Baltimore detectives of Homicide: Life on the Street struggled constantly with the demands of their relationships with colleagues and the complications of their private life. And with this we find a strange curiosity. Most of us would rather not think about the overly complex lives of the men and women upon whom we rely to keep us safe and pursue criminals. Although we know when reality that they are all fallible human beings, with challenging lives, it deepens our anxiety when we are forced to confront the weaknesses and flawed judgment of those consigned two and forced justice.

As an individual who has the privilege of spending time in close contact with the police, I can attest to the professionalism and the seriousness with which departments pursue functioning with integrity and sensitivity to their responsibilities. While in certain departments there may be exceptions, in my experience and my cities I sleep securely knowing the character and commitment of the professionals cruising the streets right now. I understand there is often cynicism about the police among those who have been treated harshly, but I just spent too much time witnessing the role they play in helping, serving and protecting the world that I occupy. I sincerely hope this has been your experience as well.