50 Most Corrupt Movie Cops

Features
By published

Pariahs of the police world

Gerry Boyle - The Guard (2011)

Jimmy Egan - Pride And Glory (2008)

The Corrupt Cop: Leader of a corrupt group of NYPD officers who work with current gangster Tezo and try to kill him in order to get a better deal with rival dealer Casado.

Lowest Moment: When friend and colleague Ray discovers Jimmy torturing Tezo to death, Jimmy shoots Tezo with Ray’s gun, implicating him in the crime and forcing him to hush it up.

Harry Callahan - Dirty Harry (1971)

The Corrupt Cop: San Francisco police inspector prone to breaking the rules in the line of duty, especially in the pursuit of vicious serial killer Scorpio.

Lowest Moment: When Scorpio refuses to reveal the location of a kidnapped young girl and, instead, asks for a lawyer, Harry tortures him until he confesses.

Bobby Monday - Premium Rush (2012)

The Corrupt Cop: NYPD officer with huge gambling debts who is approached by a loan shark to retrieve an important illegal immigration ticket worth $50,000 in exchange for having his debt wiped.

Lowest Moment: After bike messenger Wilee is hit by a taxi and taken away in an ambulance, Monday rides along with him, torturing him by pressing on his injuries to find out what he did with the ticket.

Frank Nugent - 16 Blocks (2006)

The Corrupt Cop: A long-time shady officer who will stop at nothing to prevent witness Eddie Bunker from testifying in a police corruption court case.

Lowest Moment: Catching up with Eddie and immediately trying to frame him for shooting an officer before killing him. Luckily, Bruce Willis' jaded alcoholic cop Mosely intervenes.

Detective Fowler - Four Brothers (2005)

The Corrupt Cop: An untrusting cop who, upon hearing kindly mother Evelyn's reports about shady businessman Victor Sweet, passes them on to the man himself, making Evelyn a target, ultimately leading to her death.

Lowest Moment: When partner Lieutenant Green confronts him, Fowler shoots him dead, and calls the police, claiming it was two unknown assailant.

Officer John Ryan - Crash (2004)

The Corrupt Cop: Bigoted police officer who displays racist tendencies throughout his duties.

Lowest Moment: Pulling over a black couple for driving a car similar to one that has been reported stolen and, when the woman becomes argumentative, Ryan carries out a pat-down, openly molesting her in the process.

Louis Renault - Casablanca (1942)

The Corrupt Cop: A witty cynic, utter hypocrite and, until the final moments of the film, an indifferent bystander in the war, choosing to just follow orders, whatever they may be.

Lowest Moment: Adminishing Rick for allowing gambling in his club while pocketing his own fixed winnings.

Detective Henry Oak - Narc (2002)

The Corrupt Cop: A jaded detective haunted by all the terrible things he has seen on the job and who frequently oversteps the mark when it comes to um… aggressively questioning his suspects.

Lowest Moment: Oak tracks down his two suspects and, in front of his appalled partner, bounds them and attempts to beat a confession out of them.

Mike Brennan - Q & A (1990)

The Corrupt Cop: A decorated veteran detective with a tough attitude, who is under investigation after shooting a small-time Puerto Rican criminal.

Lowest Moment: Brennan amends the evidence from the shooting to make it seem like he acted in self defence and then bullies the witnesses into stating the same.