If you were putting together a police force, what cops from television shows would you want to have working for you? What cop shows have characters that would be the best to have on your side in the real world? If you were putting together your own police force you would want the best and these 5 fictional characters from cop shows are the ones you’d want.

Oliva Benson

Olive Benson from Law and Order SVU is definitely at the top of the list of cops you would want for your police force. She is a tough cop who has a personal attachment to her cases that makes her relentless in her pursuit of justice. While there is always a concern that too much personal involvement in cases could make a cop unstable or unpredictable, Oliva Benson seems to have just the right amount. Her balance of personal and professional motivations makes her the consummate detective.

Brenda Leigh Johnson

This character from the Closer would be a valuable addition to any police force. Her specialty, of course, is closing cases. She feels right at home in the interrogation room where she always discovers the truth. Her complexity of thought and quick thinking allow her to handle the most difficult cases and to make it look easy.

Lennie Brisco

Lennie Brisco from Law and Order was a character on the series that started all the other Law and Orders. He was a tough cop who pounded the pavement. He seemed like what you thought a real cop might be like. His temper occasionally got the better of him but that was only because he cared so much about his work. Like any good cop, he never gave up on a case and did whatever it took to get the bad guy. He was just the picture of a good, reliable cop.

John Munch

Another character from Law and Order SVU that you would want on your police force, John Munch had the dedication to his job and a desire to find criminals that you would want. More than that, he maintained a sense of humor and although he was affected by cases he was relatively unfazed. You need someone who can handle the tough cases without breaking down and John Munch is your guy. Humor in the face of adversity is priceless.

Chief Wiggum

Okay so Chief Wiggum is the incompetent small town cop from the Simpsons but don’t you want some comic relief on your police force? As long as you don’t give him any real responsibility then you will be fine. This is the guy who makes everyone else look better by comparison. Oh, make sure he doesn’t have a gun either.

These are 5 fictional characters from cop shows that you would want on your police force. Most are there to find the bad guys and take care of business. The last one is there to remind you that at the end of the day everyone has flaws and even though you may not be perfect, you could be worse off.

Maryellen Ward writes about how to enroll in forensic science colleges.