Police & Policing

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Mad Dog & Glory," starring Robert De Niro and Bill Murray.

Former Police Commissioner of Philadelphia Willie Williams replaced the controversial Los Angeles Police Department chief Daryl Gates. Williams' challenge has been to improve the relationship between the police and the community, and to build-up morale within the force. Williams has also had to prepare the department for possible further disturbances in the community, in light of the April riots over the Rodney King verdict.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the sequel to "Prime Suspect," the miniseries on PBS about a woman who becomes a chief inspector, played by Helen Mirren.

John Leonard reviews Ellroy's "White Jazz," the final installment of his tetralogy of crime novels. The story reveals the darkest elements of Los Angeles life in the 1950s.

English actress Helen Mirren. She stars in "Prime Suspect," a three-part thriller premiering this week on public television's "Mystery" series. Mirren has preformed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the films "The Comfort of Strangers," "Age of Consent," "The Long Good Friday," and "Excalibur."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new ABC police-themed show, "Arresting Behavior," which pokes fun at so-called reality shows.

Lieutenant Duvall is the founder of Cleveland's landmark sex crimes unit. She was one of the first woman street cops in the city, and one of the first women in the country to head a vice squad. A new biography has just been written about her, called "Working Vice."

We talk with the new crime movie's director Carl Franklin's and screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton. "One False Move"is a low-budget movie about a drug deal gone bad, a brutal murder, and the dealers' flight from the police. Despite playing in only a few cities, it's getting critical acclaim.

Film critic Stephen Schiff Reviews "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear," a police movie parody starring Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews the new show about a group of misfit, psychologically impaired cops. He says it brings the police drama to new conceptual highs -- and lows.

The new Stephen Bochco-produced series is interesting, but TV critic David Bianculli says he need to see more episodes of the musical procedural before making his final judgement. The pilot's songs are composed by Randy Newman--who won't be involved in future episodes.

Former NYPD officer Vincent Murano worked in the Internal Affairs Division, and went undercover to investigate crooked cops. His new book details his methods and some of his more memorable cases.

Police Chief Anthony V. Bouza. Formerly the Police Chief for the Bronx, and Minneapolis. He's just written a book, "The Police Mystique: An Insider's Look at Cops, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System," (published by Plenum).

Television critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews "Cops," a new Fox Network show. Filmed on location in Broward County, Florida, the episodes follow real cops as they orchestrate drug stings, investigate car crashes and try to resolve domestic disputes.

Book critic John Leonard reviews the new detective novel Ratking, by Michael Dibdin. Leonard says the narrative, set in Italy, keeps the mystery genre alive by confronting bourgeois life and corrupt politics.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says January isn't the best month for movies; screenwriter John Patrick Shanley's latest cop drama is no exception -- the January Man is so quirky that it's hard to take seriously.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the movies Naked Gun and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He says both films have to teach viewers how to deal with their idiosyncratic pacing in order to fully appreciate the comedy.

The new film, a thriller about drug smuggling, was written by Robert Towne, who is considered by many to be the best screenwriter in Hollywood. Film critic Stephen Schiff says the movie is a sensual feast.

Actor Clint Eastwood is known for finishing movies quickly and under budget -- that way, he can focus his energies on his pet projects. Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool, is an example of Eastwood's sometimes slipshod work.

Guest film critic Michael Sragow, film critic for The San Francisco Examiner, reviews "Colors," the controversial film about gangs and gang violence in Los Angeles. It stars Robert Duvall and Shawn Penn, and is directed by Dennis Hopper.