24 Hours: Police is a three-episode TV documentary series that purports to compare crime-related statistics over the course of one long day between four cities on different points of the globe. In reality, the numbers are the least interesting aspect of this series that contrasts policing as practiced in Auckland (New Zealand), Perth (Australia), San Francisco, and Oslo (Norway). Differences are apparent in police equipment (some officers don't carry guns, but are loaded up with everything else) and in particular problems facing each of these urban areas. In San Francisco, gang activity heads the list of law enforcement concerns, while in Oslo it's prostitution. In Perth, the focus is on kids who congregate in a neighborhood full of bars, and Auckland has its own youth-related problems. Everywhere, drugs and alcohol are an issue. The cops in every case prove accommodating to a ubiquitous TV crew and always act professionally, at times seeming to take significant personal risk. Viewers don't get to spend a lot of time with any one officer or pair of partners, as the show's primary attention is on the job itself and the overall mission. A solid behind-the-scenes documentary series with an interesting compare-and-contrast global slant, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
24 Hours: Police
(2016) 75 min. DVD: $24.99 ($199 w/PPR). Dreamscape Media. Closed captioned. Volume 32, Issue 2
24 Hours: Police
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