Watch the movie "End of Watch". Be sure to take notes on examples of situations that you can use to complete the requirements below.
The activity has two components:
Part 1. Identifying myths.
Describe how policing in general is portrayed in the movie and how it promotes myths and misperceptions about "real" police work. Feel free to remark about
other scenes in the movie that you feel are not reflective of everyday police work
List at least 5 examples from the movie that promote myths about policing
How does the movie compare to what you know about policing from this course or personal experience.
Part 2. Ethea and Postulates.
Identify at least five events in the movie that corresponds with a postulate identified by Reuss-Ianni (1983).
Create a table with three columns. In the first, list the etho. In the second column list the corresponding postulate. In the third column, provide a descriiption
of the event in the movie that matches the ethos/postulate. Finally, create your own postulate based on how police officer sub-culture is reflective in the
movie and give an example as before.
Sample Solution
Identify a total of three myths about police work as portrayed in the film.
1) Police officers are invincible and can handle any situation without fear or hesitation – The movie showed that even though Officer Zavala and Taylor were experienced policemen, they still had moments of doubt, fear and hesitation when dealing with dangerous situations.
2) All criminals are bad people who deserve to be punished – The movie shows that some criminals are also victims in certain situations, such as when Officer Taylor has to help an underage prostitute get out of her situation.
3) Police work is always exciting and glamorous – The movie showed that although police officers sometimes have thrilling moments while on duty, there are also mundane aspects of the job such as paperwork and attending court hearings.
Part 2 Analyzing Critical Moments