Best Episodes
COPS is one of the first (and only) true and UNSCRIPTED reality shows, it follows the activities of police officers by embedding camera crews with police units.The show’s formula follows the Cinéma vérité convention, with no narration or scripted dialog, depending entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact.COPS has followed officers in 140 different cities in the United States and also has been shot in Hong Kong, London, and the former Soviet Union. Each episode is approximately 22 minutes in length and typically consists of three segments, with each segment being one or two self-contained police incidents.
Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 10, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
The temptation of being on camera proves to be too much for one car thief. In order to catch an oblivious driver’s attention, officers are forced to disable his car. A woman tries to evade arrest by giving deputies a fake name.
The episode was rated 7.23 from 158 votes.
One suspect takes his chances in a ravine after he leads deputies to a dead end. A quick vehicle search turns a family outing into a trip to the slammer. The cops inspect a domestic disturbance between a dad and his teenage son.
The episode was rated 7.23 from 150 votes.
A sleeping motorist displays a foul mood when woken up; reports of a suspicious person lead officers to much more; and a young woman offers promises in an attempt to avoid a trip to jail.
The episode was rated 7.24 from 159 votes.
A suspected copper thief plays dumb when the cops catch up to him. A jittery cyclist tries to get away with a slippery maneuver. A couple takes their bout of domestic violence to the streets.
The episode was rated 7.24 from 140 votes.
An after hours search of a park turns up a young couple in a port-a-potty. An extremely combative man refuses to surrender to officers. A heated argument between best friends catches the attention of the cops.
The episode was rated 7.24 from 127 votes.
A man jumps from a moving vehicle to escape the police; a car chase ends with a call to paramedics; an agitated man confuses threatening actions with heroism.
The episode was rated 7.25 from 118 votes.
A suspect plays it cool when officers try to match an abandoned gun to his empty holster; poor choices in a parking lot inspire a life coaching moment; cops learn that good neighbors do exist.
The episode was rated 7.25 from 116 votes.
Deputies are shocked when they recognize a repeat offender. When confronted by the cops, a desperate man shows no love for his girlfriend. Officers bring in a canine unit to complete a vehicle search.
The episode was rated 7.25 from 108 votes.
An armed suspect is found in a bloody state; the driver of a stolen car bails when officers pull him over; and officers capture several suspects in two carjacked vehicles.
The episode was rated 7.25 from 135 votes.
ATV joyriders lead officers on an unwieldy chase. An attempt to check on some expired tags ends with a young couple at gunpoint. A motorist gives deputies his brother’s name in hopes of avoiding jail time.
The episode was rated 7.26 from 132 votes.
A reckless driver tries to bail out of a checkpoint but outmaneuvers himself instead. Fingers are pointed fast when cops interview a peculiar group of people. Deputies have to do a little digging to get to the bottom of things.
The episode was rated 7.28 from 137 votes.
A homeless man decides to test the police when he thinks there’s no escape. Good Samaritans catch a man breaking into their neighbor’s car. Officers do their best to resolve a dispute between newlyweds.
The episode was rated 7.35 from 127 votes.
A man with a felony warrant does his best to escape arrest. Things get weird when an agitated man tries to reveal everything to the police. A young man makes poor choices that lead to a broken home.
The episode was rated 7.38 from 117 votes.
After a night out on the town, a man loses his friend and finds trouble. Officers stop a vehicle that they believe was involved in an officer-related shooting. A young couple in a parked car strikes officers as suspicious.
The episode was rated 7.42 from 118 votes.
A homeless man puts up a fight to maintain his freedom; a suspicious man and woman in a parked car catch an officer's attention; a squabble between lovers draws attention to an outstanding warrant.
The episode was rated 7.44 from 126 votes.
