Custom Police Coins Honor Police In Ways Movies Can’t

Movies based on police cases are an ever-popular entertainment genre. Like other first responder careers such as firefighters and emergency medical workers, police jobs offer inherent drama, unpredictability, comedy, and life-or-death situations. But those storylines often fall into lazy clichés that don’t represent the reality of police work.

Custom challenge coins are one way to honor the service of brave police officers across the country. And custom police coins go a long way toward eclipsing the many police clichés found in popular art.

We might as well deal with those clichés, so we can begin dispelling them.

Donuts and Danger

Obviously, the most notorious one is that of cops eating doughnuts, ubiquitous for many years. But there are more subtle ones as well. One of my favorites is the “angry black captain,” truly exemplified by Eddie Murphy in “Beverly Hills Cop.”

I’m sure you’ve encountered this trope in film or television, with the inevitable demand of having the protagonist turn in both his badge and gun. This stereotype got so out of hand in Hollywood that films themselves started lampooning it, two examples being “The Last Action Hero” and “21 Jump Street.”

Too Old for This

Then there is the “I’m getting too old for this” cliché of so many cop flicks. You know the narrative—a dutiful policeman is getting long in the tooth, yet he’s set to retire and enjoy his golden years. That’s a surefire sign he’s about to get killed. Well, not always. The movie “Lethal Weapon” exploited this trope with Danny Glover not having to kick the bucket (or turn in both his badge and gun).

Villainous Speech

We know police have to overcome dangerous elements on the streets, but in movies it gets worse, because they have to overcome speeches by villains. And they’re nice enough to let the bad guy wax philosophical and mock the system, usually with a hostage and the interruption of the frenetic soundtrack.

This cliché goes back decades in both film and television. From James Bond to Batman, the villains always have something to say before attempting to dispatch the hero. I’d argue “Die Hard” best typifies this tired formula, even if Alan Rickman, playing the villain, does have a wonderful voice. 

I always wish the angry captain would burst in and interrupt some of the villain speeches … just once.

Killer Tech

Technology is magnificent, but not in movies when a police officer has to detonate a bomb. Forget the robots or cameras with a tech wizard on the other side. He’s all alone, and has to disarm the bomb by randomly cutting at least one of many colored wires. Hey, it happens every day! 

Furthermore, the cop always makes his decision with one second left. I believe one of the “Lethal Weapon” movies covers this cliché, sometime before Danny Glover retires.

In real life, bomb squad techs are highly trained and don’t do ANYTHING randomly. And untrained officers would never be in a situation where they have to disarm a bomb alone. Also, real bomb disposal experts, if they can’t disarm a device, can often use remote handling equipment to safely detonate it away from people or structures. Nonetheless, it remains an extremely dangerous job.

Fruit Cart Frenzy, Mama Mayhem, Glass Pains

Law enforcement agents chasing suspects in cars is no laughing matter, but in film it gets downright fruity. By fruity, I mean there’s always a fruit cart to run over. 

“The French Connection” began this trend, and afterwards, all manner of pushed object decided to cross the street during a chase scene. It’s like mothers decide to push their stroller with a baby across the street as soon as they hear a siren. So do workers carrying panes of glass, or whatever else you can think of. Apparently, everyone is deaf in police movies. I’m sure that has to do with the frenetic soundtrack.

After the Good Guy Triumphs

Even after a movie police officer surmounts all these obstacles, and even after he shoots the villain making the flowery speeches, it’s not over. In real life, law enforcement agents always check the pulse of the recently deceased. But this rarely happens in Hollywood. 

Instead, the hero has to immediately go kiss the nearest woman or position himself before a fireball explosion to make it all look cinematic. And predictably, the villain will rise for one more gunfight, with or without a speech. The instances in film history are many, but it was certainly symbolized in “Terminator.”

Enough With The Tired Tropes

Let’s get real. Police work is hard, dangerous and not nearly as glamorous as Hollywood makes it look. While there are an increasing number of movies and TV shows that show the gritty reality of the job – think “Law and Order” or “Donnie Brasco” --  many still rely on the same old situations mentioned above.

Every officer who reports for a shift deals with the possibility that it could be their last one. Custom police challenge coins are a way to honor their dedication to protecting others.

Honoring Police With Challenge Coins

Custom police coins are a way to honor the real-life heroism of officers who go above and beyond the line of duty. Especially when they are presented at a public ceremony, they tell recipients that their hard work is appreciated.

Departments can offer police coins to honor achievements, celebrate promotions, or commemorate special events within a department. And coins can honor the memory of officers lost in the line of duty. 

Those coins are perhaps the most important of all police coins. They help keep the memories of friends and coworkers lost on the job fresh, and commemorate their dedication and sacrifice.

Time to Bust the Clichés

So let’s say “Hasta la vista, baby” and “Yippie-Ki-Yay” to all these clichés, focusing instead of the true challenges and achievements of police officers, much better represented in the police challenge coins they earn. Honor their courage and dedication with custom police coins.

If you want to order custom police coins or would like more information, call us toll free at (855) 272-8451, or email us at [email protected]. If you have an idea for your coin design, fill out our no-obligation free quote form and we’ll send you a free digital proof of your design. We’re here to serve all your police challenge coin needs.