History Main / SmartCopDumbCop

* ''Marked for Murder'': The film has Minelli as the veteran cop so jaded that he's a terrible example of law enforcement; and young Coyle, fresh from the academy and thoroughly familiar with police protocols. They get some grudging assistance from a convict, Mace Moutron, who provides insight into how criminals think.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': Seen in the episode "Cop Out". The smart cop is named Perez, and the incompetent cop is named Mike Brikowski. The Police Chief finds out just how lazy and unhelpful Mike is (despite him thinking he's due for a promotion and that the girls keep taking it away from him) and fires him, which leads to [[FaceHeelTurn Mike turning against the police force]].

* ''Film/HotFuzz'': Sergeant Angel and Officer Butterworth have this dynamic. Angel is too good for the London Met and is promoted to Sergeant of Police in charge of his own country town. The police there aren't very competent, and the Village society seems to run the place.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'': Just as in TheMovie, the roles of Kellaway (Smart) and Doyle (Dumb) are the same but UpToEleven, with Doyle even classified as TooDumbToLive.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''

** Also the pairing of Sergeant Colon and Corporal Nobbs. Colon (old-time copper) frequently voices prejudices and half-baked observations; Nobbs, whilst by no means the brightest candle in the church, tends to demolish them effortlessly and in ways that suggest he is a GeniusDitz.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'': Exploited by Hank and his partner Steve Gomez. When interrogating suspects, Hank often takes point as the personable, smart DEA agent while Gomez plays the dim hardass. Behind the scenes Gomez is as competent at his job as Hank is (although ironically he rarely believes Hank's often correct insights in the Heisenberg investigation).

* ''Film/RushHour'': Chief Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter have this dynamic. Lee is a competent, sensible and disciplined Honk Kong cop with an admirable record. Carter, while having the [[SmartBall occasional]] moment of brilliance, is mostly loud, arrogant, impetuous and ignorant which often results in him and Lee getting into easily avoidable trouble.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'': In "A Secret Sphere of Influence!", when the theft of the Adamant Orb is being investigated at the Eterna City Museum, Officer Jenny is easily fooled by a photo of Meowth dressed as Sunflora stealing the artifact and uses it to accuse Nando and his Sunflora of the theft. Another Officer Jenny more rationally points out that just because it's a Sunflora in the photo, it's not necessarily ''Nando's'' Sunflora, and they need to investigate more people.

* Invoked by name in ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'', where as part of an interrogation technique Peralta intentionally tries to look out of depth compared to Holt, only to blindside the suspect with sharp questions later.

* The fat egotistical incompetent cop (Dumb Cop) and his rookie partner (Smart Cop) in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': Seen in the episode "Cop Out". The smart cop is named Perez, and the incompetent cop is named Mike Brikowski. The Police Chief finds out just how lazy and unhelpful Mike is (despite him thinking he's due for a promotion and that the girls keep taking it away from him) and fires him, which leads to [[FaceHeelTurn Mike turning against the police force]].

* Special Agent Paul Smecker is the smart cop to all three of the dumb Boston PD detectives of the homicide squad in ''Film/TheBoondockSaints''. They're so bad at their jobs that the few times they do hit upon the right answer, Smecker ignores them.
* Sgt Angel and Officer Butterworth in ''Film/HotFuzz'' - Angel is too good for the London Met and is promoted to Sergeant of Police in charge of his own country town. The police there aren't very competent, and the Village society seems to run the place.
* PlayedWith for the entire plot of ''The Man''. Derrick Vann is special agent in the middle of a very important sting operation to try and nab the person who had killed his partner (it doesn't help that the rest of the task force think ''he'' did it, since he hates everybody and everything), though unfortunately, a case of mistaken identity and being in the wrong place at the wrong time drags out-of-town dental supplies salesman Andy Fiddler into the operation. Vann reluctantly and begrudgingly accepts Andy as a temporary new partner. However, because Andy has little clue as to what's going on, or what Vann's plans are, almost every move Vann tries to make is bungled by Andy in some way or form, bringing them two steps back in cracking the case.
* The made-for-TV movie ''Marked for Murder'' from 1993 by Creator/{{NBC}} has Minelli as the veteran cop so jaded that he's a terrible example of law enforcement; and young Coyle, fresh from the academy and thoroughly familiar with police protocols. They get some grudging assistance from a convict, Mace Moutron, who provides insight into how criminals think.

* Chief Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter have this dynamic in the ''Film/RushHour'' movies. Lee is a competent, sensible and disciplined Honk Kong cop with an admirable record. Carter, while having the [[SmartBall occasional]] moment of brilliance, is mostly loud, arrogant, impetuous and ignorant which often results in him and Lee getting into easily avoidable trouble.

* A variation in ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. Andy is something of [[TheWonka a Wonka]], he has his own way of figuring things out, and even uses the strengths (and lack thereof) of those around him to help wrap things up, and they usually pay off in the end, even if they seem odd and cockeyed to others. His deputy, Barney, on the other hand, usually tries to go by the rules and by the book as much as possible, but in his own zeal, almost always ends up making things worse, and in a number of cases, relies on Andy to help him out.

* ''Series/Car54WhereAreYou'' was built on this trope. Muldoon is a relatively intelligent officer, while his partner Toody is a CloudCuckoolander.
* ''Series/KenanAndKel''. In the episode "Attack of the Bug Man", Kenan finds his house completely empty from where the exterminators were spraying, and calls on the police to report a robbery. Two officers arrive, and although they bare striking resemblances to Kenan and Kel, their personalities are clearly reversed, and Officer [=McWiggins=] (Kenan's lookalike) is the dimwit, while Officer Minisoti (Kel's lookalike) is the intelligent one (though oddly enough, shares Kel's love for orange soda).

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/CriminalCasePacificBay'' with the player's on-field partners, Amy Young and Frank Knight. The former is a NaiveNewcomer Junior Officer, who is quite attentive to the player and can make keen observations as she gains more experience. The latter is an alcoholic who would prefer to be drinking in a bar than accompany the player, and frequently dismisses the players' findings before being proven wrong later.

* Evil version in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'': Frank Tenpenny is the EvilGenius, while Eddie Pulaski is the dumb racist (though not towards his boss).

* Downplayed in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''. Sheriff Blubbs is incompetent and lazy, but he's usually the one that enforces the law, even if he ignores the bigger problems with the town in the process. His partner, Deputy Durland, makes him look even smarter by comparison, as he spends most of his time shouting nonsense and playing around, is [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny easily distracted by shiny objects]], and apparently NeverLearnedToRead.
* The two cops in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "A Mouse in 57th Street", who go after a mouse who stole a diamond. Only the dumb one is given a name, Muldoon.
* Just as in TheMovie, the roles of Kellaway (Smart) and Doyle (Dumb) in ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'' are the same but UpToEleven, being Doyle even classified as TooDumbToLive.
* The fat egotistical incompetent cop (Dumb Cop) and his rookie partner (Smart Cop) in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''. The smart cop is named Perez, and the incompetent cop is named Mike Brikowski. The Police Chief finds out just how lazy and unhelpful Mike is (despite him thinking he's due for a promotion and that the girls keep taking it away from him) and fires him, which leads to [[FaceHeelTurn Mike turning against the police force]].

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* [[Creator/SimonPegg Sgt Angel]] and [[Creator/NickFrost Officer Butterworth]] in ''Film/HotFuzz'' - Angel is too good for the London Met and is promoted to Sergeant of Police in charge of his own country town. The police there aren't very competent, and the Village society seems to run the place.

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'': A variation is found in the "Breaking In" predator map (which is also featured in the main story). If the players listens to the conversations of the corrupt G.C.P.D officers, one of them may say "no such thing as honest cops and dirty cops. Only stupid cops and smart cops".

* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'': Mihoshi and Kiyone. Depending on the continuity, Mihoshi can be anything from a BunnyEarsLawyer to a complete idiot. Kiyone isn't quite a genius, but she is quite intelligent and has more common sense that anyone else in the cast.

* A variation with ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow''. Andy is something of [[TheWonka a Wonka]], he has his own way of figuring things out, and even uses the strengths (and lack thereof) of those around him to help wrap things up, and they usually pay off in the end, even if they seem odd and cockeyed to others. His deputy, Barney, on the other hand, usually tries to go by the rules and by the book as much as possible, but in his own zeal, almost always ends up making things worse, and in a number of cases, relies on Andy to help him out.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Chief Wiggum and Lou. The twist is that the chief is the dumb one.
** InUniverse there's a TV show called "''Police Cops''". In the pilot episode the hero, [[NamesTheSame Homer Simpson]], is an action hero supercop. But by the time the series has rolled around Cop Homer has become an extreme ditz who can't do anything right; his CatchPhrase is "Uh oh, Spaghetti-Ohs!" after [[PersonAsVerb pulling a Homer]] yet again.

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

** InUniverse there's a TV show called "Police Cops." In the pilot episode the hero, [[NamesTheSame Homer Simpson]], is an action hero supercop. But by the time the series has rolled around Cop!Homer has become an extreme ditz who can't do anything right; his CatchPhrase is "Uh oh, Spaghetti-Ohs!" after [[PersonAsVerb pulling a Homer]] yet again.