The 25 most memorable TV cops of all time

Police Woman starred veteran actress Angie Dickinson as the feisty sergeant who doesn’t shy away from an intense case. “Pepper” did most of her work undercover, often putting herself in danger. During the run of the 1970s staple, she never buckled, and she used her wits — and some punch — to outsmart the bad guys in Los Angeles.   

Officer Barbrady is far from competent in his policing of the fictional Colorado town of South Park. He’s overweight and underachieving. Of course, this is a cartoon, and it’s all funny. Barbrady (voiced by Trey Parker) is not one of South Park‘s main characters, but for a long time, he was the only law enforcement official in town. 

The New York City homicide detective Kate Beckett ultimately becomes a captain. Her intelligence and strength are her best qualities. Beckett (Stana Katic) dealt with a lot of life adversity, but criminals learn that her past has made her that much more of a challenge to cross or outsmart. There might not be a more complete detective in TV history. 

Much like the aforementioned Kate Beckett, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) has plenty going for her. However, she’s also a bit jaded from a rough, abusive past with her mother. Benson is good at her job, rising from detective to captain. She also tends to get emotionally invested in her cases; through time, her career in SVU wears on her. She has persevered and moved on with strength. 

Some media critics, and plenty of Law & Order fans, believe Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) is the best TV cop of all time. He might very well be the most beloved. For 12 seasons, Briscoe was a staple on the popular NBC series. Briscoe is old school, reminiscent of the TV detectives from the 1970s. He endured a hard-living past but became a cool cop who doesn’t mind crossing the line to get his perp. He’s also appeared in some of the franchise’s spinoffs, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Talk about old school. Baby Boomers and some Gen Xers likely hold Columbo (and the great Peter Falk) near and dear to their hearts. He’s gruff and likes chomping on cigars and wearing a raincoat. Despite his often disheveled appearance, Columbo was a fantastic detective, and his deduction of reason seemed impeccable. But why did we never get to meet his wife?

One of the few times we will take liberty with our selections. Consider this a twofer. Crockett (Don Johnson) and Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) go better together. Not only are they a couple of quality Miami detectives, but they also made the job look cool amid danger, mostly because of their keen fashion sense and facial scruff. The two were not afraid to dive into the underworld of the South Florida drug scene. Also, they had cool undercover aliases: Burnett and Cooper.

The first of two representatives from Hill Street. Played memorably by the gritty Michael Conrad, Sgt. Esterhaus ran a tight ship but was also likable to fans of this classic cop drama. Of course, we’ll never forget his signature line during the morning roll call: “Let’s be careful out there.” Conrad, who won two Primetime Emmys for the role, passed away from urethral cancer in November 1983, during the fourth season of the show.

Dragnet has aired over various mediums, but the TV versions from the 1950s and late ’60s into 1970 are usually the most notable. Sgt. Joe Friday is one of the most famous fictional detectives in entertainment history. Jack Webb created the series and the character, playing him to much critical acclaim and leaving a legacy that TV detectives tend to be compared to even to this day.

The captain of the Hill Street precinct, Daniel J. Travanti won a Golden Globe and received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for playing the strait-laced Furillo. He usually sported a nifty three-piece suit while keeping his department in check. He also was one of the more human characters on the show, especially late in the series’ run when he relapsed into alcoholism. 

While William Shatner is no doubt most remembered as Capt. James T. Kirk from Star Trek, his work in this 1980s cop drama should not go without celebration. The grizzled veteran Hooker is a mentor to many and knows practically everybody on the street. He’s tough but compassionate. He even teamed up with old Star Trek buddy Leonard Nimoy for an episode. 

Kojak is one of the most recognizable television characters, regardless of profession. The great Telly Savalas starred as the lively, suave lieutenant who delivered a solid balance between good and bad cop throughout most of the 1970s. Of course, he always seemed to pull both off in grand fashion. “Who loves ya, baby?” 

Michael Chiklis’ signature role came as the star of this FX hit. Vic was hardly “by the book,” but he was so much fun to watch. Off duty, he was a pretty respectable family man. On the clock, he was suspect as a detective, doing whatever it took to get the job done — at times on the wrong side of the law. It was still pretty easy to root for him and his cause. 

Wendell Pierce is one of the more underrated actors (loved him in Sleepers). But Pierce is best known for his role as “The Bunk” Moreland, a Baltimore detective who, like pal Jimmy McNulty, is good at his job but also has issues (infidelity and booze) when his tour is done. Bunk has a colorful mouth and fits in nicely with the collective excellence of The Wire, which is one of the best dramas in TV history.

OK, here we go with the liberties again. Andre Braugher is one fantastic actor, and two of his most lauded roles were as cops. As Pemberton on Homicide, he won a Primetime Emmy as the tough but relatively spirited detective in a serious role. But as the strict Captain Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he turned to comedy and earned four Primetime Emmy nominations.

Staying with Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Andy Samberg built himself into the star on Saturday Night Live and has transitioned well into sitcom TV. Playing childlike detective Jake Peralta may end up as the crowning jewel in Samberg’s career. He’s the kind of cop we’d like to be. He takes his work seriously and is successful, but he likes to goof off and put himself down. It’s one of the most enjoyable characters on TV.

Donnie Wahlberg, the unofficial leader of New Kids on the Block, turned into an above-average actor. As the son of the NYPD commissioner, Danny is hardcore and pushes many boundaries in his detective work. He’s also managed to endure a lot while being part of a police family. He is still dealing with losing his wife to a medical helicopter accident that appears to have been orchestrated. 

Closing cold cases can be tricky and emotional. Rush (Kathryn Morris) handled it quite well, showing confidence and compassion. She dealt with her vulnerability at times but displayed strength that made her the lead detective of the division. Cold Case was one creative show with flashback storylines and great music. Rush was a big reason for the show’s success and longevity.

There are plenty of memorable characters from “Blue,” but Detective Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) is no doubt at the top of the list. Andy endured plenty during the run of this uber-popular show, including battles with alcoholism and losing a son, a wife and two partners (Jimmy Smits and Ricky Schroder). Franz won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for his iconic role.  

In line with Crockett and Tubbs, one can’t talk about Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) without mentioning Hutch (David Soul). Try to find two cooler street detectives from the 1970s than these two: leather coats, boots, turtlenecks, and the car. The red Ford Gran Torino with the white famous white stripe is one of Americana’s greatest pieces of television iconography. 

This is another beloved character whose influence extends beyond law enforcement. Andy (Andy Griffith) did not see much serious action as sheriff of small-town Mayberry, although there was the time he had to thwart a homemade moonshine effort. And who would try anything in Mayberry with Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) along for some comedic re-enforcement? 

Voight first surfaced on Chicago Fire, looking to rehabilitate his image as a dirty cop. Apparently reformed, Voight commands the Chicago police’s intelligence unit. He can get a little carried away, and some will question his tactics to bring down criminals. However, Voight is loyal, looks out for his team, and at the end of the day, he lives for his job. 

If there’s a more incompetent law enforcement official in animated TV history than South Park’s Officer Barbrady, Chief Clancy Wiggum (Hank Azaria) might be your man. He’s lazy, bad at his job, a poor role model (Ralph Wiggum is his kid, after all), and seems more concerned with eating than safety. Yet, like Barbrady, the incompetence is fun to watch within the Springfield universe.

Niecy Nash does not do much quietly. The fictional officer tends to abuse her authority, which makes it funnier considering she is not that good of an officer to begin with. She has a penchant for mace, and it’s questionable if she can even read. Her level of dysfunction on the job and at home makes for one of the more hilarious storylines.