The good cop bad cop routine is a common narrative seen in movies and television shows, where two police officers interrogate a suspect, one using a friendlier approach and the other using a more aggressive one. While it may be an effective technique in fiction, in reality, it can be controversial and unethical. In this article, we'll dive into the good cop bad cop routine, discussing its pros and cons.
The good cop bad cop routine is simple. It involves two police officers who have different techniques to interrogate a suspect. The good cop is typically calm, friendly, empathetic, and sympathetic. They tell the suspect that they understand their situation and want to help them. The bad cop is stern, aggressive, threatening, and intimidating. They create an imposing and hostile environment in which they put pressure on the suspect to confess.
The ultimate goal of the good cop bad cop routine is to intimidate the suspects enough to make them confess their crimes. The good cop serves as the antithesis to the bad cop, which means that the suspect will often open up to them as they appear more trustworthy and likable. Meanwhile, the bad cop will use their aggressive approach to create fear, pressure, and a sense of urgency within the suspect, which can lead to a confession.
Proponents of the good cop bad cop routine argue that it's an effective tool to extract information from suspects. They believe that the fear and pressure generated by the bad cop will make the suspect reveal critical information. Then, the good cop can use their empathetic approach to connect with the suspect and gain their trust, leading to additional information being offered voluntarily.
However, the routine has many detractors. Critics argue that it's an unethical tactic since the police are playing psychological games with suspects. The routine is also controversial because it can lead to false confessions. A suspect may confess to a crime they did not commit merely to appease the bad cop and escape the aggressive tactics being employed.
Moreover, the tactic disproportionately affects marginalized groups, such as people of color, who are often coerced into false confessions due to systemic bias against them. According to the Innocence Project, a non-profit organization that works to exonerate the wrongly convicted, over 25% of DNA exonerees falsely confessed to their crimes.
Another issue with the good cop bad cop routine is that it can lead to police misconduct, such as intimidation, coercion, and abuse. When the police use heavy-handed tactics, they can create an environment where the suspect feels like they have no choice but to confess. This can lead to an abuse of power, and the results of such interrogations are often inadmissible in court.
In conclusion, the good cop bad cop routine may be an effective narrative tool in movies and television shows. However, in reality, it can be unethical, lead to false confessions, and disproportionately affect marginalized groups. As such, police officers should avoid using it and use ethical and legal interrogation methods instead.