History Main / TheInspector

* Although he's a bit more rough around the edges than is typical for this trope, Detective Inspector Jack Regan of ''Series/TheSweeny'' still counts.

* DCI [[JasperFforde Jack Spratt]]

* [[GeorgetteHeyer Inspector Hemingway]], although he's [[OvershadowedByAwesome the assistant to Superintendent Hannasyde]].

* Inspector Kerry Vincent [[Series/Rush Rush]]

* Inspector Kerry Vincent [[RushTVSeries Rush]]

One of the most common protagonists in the crime fiction genre, this is a plain clothes police officer who serves as the chief investigator and protagonist of the story. He will be a character of middle rank with sufficient experience and at least one subordinate officer working under him. He wil often be the [[OldCopYoungCop older and more senior of a duo]], with their subordinate acting as TheWatson.

He will not be high rank enough to qualify as DaChief. While some duties may be delegated to a subordinate, he is still low enough of a rank that he must take a hands on approach to investigation. Instead of sitting in at his desk directing entire units, he will be out and about investing crime scenes and interviewing witnesses himself.

One of the most common protagonists in the crime fiction genre, this is a plain clothes police officer who holds the rank of Detective Inspector or Detective Chief Inspector in British works, or Lieutenant in American works. Will often be the [[OldCopYoungCop older and more senior of a duo]], with their subordinate acting as TheWatson.

The rank gives you a character with sufficient experience, a good number of subordinates, but at the right place in the chain to be moaned at by DaChief. Also ''Inspector'' sounds right for a detective's rank, even though that's not what it actually means.

* ''TheBill''. [[LongRunner 26 seasons on the air]], it featured 8 Detective Inspectors among its regular cast during that time. The most famous of them probably being Detective Inspector Frank Burnside.

* [[Film/ThePinkPanther Inspector Jacques Clouseau]]

* Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, {{Pie In The Sky}}

* Lieutenant Mac Taylor. ''CSINewYork''

* SherlockHolmes stories had Inspectors Lestrade and Gregson?

One of the most common protagonists in the crime fiction genre, this is a plain clothes police officer who holds the rank of Detective Inspector or Detective Chief Inspector in British works and Lieutenant in American works. Will often be the [[OldCopYoungCop older and more senior of a duo]], with their subordinate acting as TheWatson.

The rank gives you a character with sufficient experience, a good number of subordinates, but in the right place in the chain to be moaned at by the brass. Also ''Inspector'' sounds right for a detective's rank, even though that's not what it actually means.

One of the most common protagonists in the crime fiction genre, this is a plain clothes police officer who holds the rank of Detective Inspector or Detective Chief Inspector in British works and Lieutenant in American works.

* Lieutenant Horatio Caine, ''{{CSI Miami}}}''

* Detective [[InspectorLynley Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley]], naturally, who forms an OddCouple [[TheyFightCrime crime-fighting duo]] with his partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers.

* No mention of [[SherlockHolmes Inspectors Lestrade and Gregson]]?

* DCI {{Morse}}.

* [[ATouchOfFrost DI Jack Frost]]

* ''TheBill''. In its [[LongRunner 26 seasons on the air]], it featured 8 Detective Inspectors among its regular cast during that time. The most famous of them probably being Detective Inspector Frank Burnside.

* ''TheBill''. In its [[LongRunner 26 seasons on the air]], it featured 8 Detective Inspectors and 3 Detective Chief Inspectors among its regular cast.
* Inspectory Kerry Vincent [[RushTVSeries Rush]]

* ''TheBill''. In its [[LongRunner 26 seasons on the air]], it featured 8 Detective Inspectors and 3 Detective Chief Inspectors among its regular cast. Add to this the uniform branch, which featured 6 uniformed Inspectors (the same rank, but in charge of the beat officers rather than the detectives) across its long run.