Behind the laughs: The police work 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' ignores
What's the story
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an appropriate representation of how police work is, but it does it with such humor that you forget about the actual paperwork burden on the officers. Somehow, it never captures the amount of time spent on the paperwork and documentation, which is necessary for the sake of legal accuracy and faith of the public. Let's take a look.
#1
The reality of documentation
In real life, cops dedicate a good chunk of their time to writing reports and other paperwork. Unlike the swift resolutions in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, real-life cases demand detailed documentation to avoid inaccuracies and hold accountability. The officers have to painstakingly document incidents, evidence, statements from witnesses, etc. The task can be tedious, but it is imperative for court cases and public trust.
#2
Time-consuming administrative tasks
Administrative duties make up a large portion of a police officer's job, which Brooklyn Nine-Nine so often glosses over. Writing reports aside, officers deal with all manner of forms like arrest warrants, subpoenas, and internal memos. These require extreme attention to detail and can take up hours of an officer's day. The show's emphasis on action-packed scenes doesn't reflect this vital aspect of policing.
#3
Impact on officer availability
The extensive paperwork requirements also affect an officer's availability for fieldwork. Unlike the show's portrayal, where detectives are often out solving crimes, many officers are stuck at their desks due to administrative work. This can hamper response times and limit proactive policing efforts, as resources are redirected towards the completion of necessary documentation.
Tip 1
Technological challenges in policing
While technology has streamlined a few aspects of police work, it also brings in new challenges that aren't shown in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Officers have to navigate through complex databases for record-keeping while complying with data security. Technical glitches or system downtime can further delay completing the paperwork- a reality that's rarely touched upon in the series's narrative, driven by humor instead of operational hurdles confronted by law enforcement agencies daily.