History Main / TokenGoodCop

* ''Film/LesMiserables1998'': Captain Beauvis is the only member of the ''Gendarme'' who provides Valijean much help in his philanthropic endeavors and flight from the law rather than unhesitatingly enforcing the draconian laws of the period.

* ''Film/FastFive'': Elena Reyes is the only honest cop in all of Rio for Hobbs and his HeroAntagonist team to ask for help in hunting the Toretto CaperCrew while also dealing with the cartel that wants them dead.

* ''Film/BrewsterMcCloud'': Except for intrepid beat cop Johnson, the Houston Police Department is so incompetent that the city fathers have to bring in San Francisco [=PD=] GreatDetective (who the local cops jealously sabotage) to handle the murder investigation.

* ''Film/CitizenX'': {[Downplayed|Trope}}. Borakov is a driven investigator who is surrounded by lazy and cynical subordinates, although they become more dedicated and efficient as they become more invested in the case.

* ''Film/TheGuard'': MrViceGuy Gerry and his DecoyProtagonist DeadPartner (an eager ByTheBookCop) are the only cops besides a visiting FBI agent who actively try to solve the murder and drug investigations, while their boss and most of his other men are taking bribes to let drugs get brought into the country.

* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'': In ''Cauldron of Ghosts'', ByTheBookCop Mesan cop Lieutenant Ferguson frustrates both his subordinates (save Kayla Barrett) and superiors alike with his refusal to callously trample the rights and end the lives of the police state planet's freed slaves and their descendants. By ''To End in Fire'', most of the veteran Mesan cops have been killed or fired, with a few moderates like Kayla being kept around on a reformed force they feel a lot better about serving.

* ''Film/TheGuard'': MrViceGuy Gerry and his DecoyProtagonist DeadPartner are the only cops besides a visiting FBI agent who actively try to solve the murder and drug investigations, while their boss and most of his other men are taking bribes to let drugs get brought into the country.

** Sheriff Ben Meeker from the fourth and fifth movies is a, {{Downplayed|Trope}} example. He's a strong contender for the second-most competent and tough cop in the franchise (after Hawkins below), while his deputies and state police colleagues, while not entirely useless, tend to suffer RedShirt fates, occasionally overlook something important, such as a KillerInTheBackseat, and [[SkewedPriorities impulsively abandon children in favour of going to fight a man breaking Michael out of jail (who easily kills said deputy and then abducts said kid)]].

* ''Literature/TheHardyBoys'': In the ''Casefiles'' book ''Beyond the Law'', Chief Collig recalls starting out as a rookie in a town where several of the detectives and beat cops were shaking down merchants and using him as an UnwittingPawn messenger boy. When he found out, he told his superiors what was going on and they shut down the racket, made the corrupt officers resign (with Collig also insisting on resigning and starting over elsewhere), and quietly spread word about their actions to the leader's new boss.

* ''Series/DueSouth'': Fraser's fellow embassy mounties and Chicago [=PD=] colleagues are far from useless, but he can solve more crimes and win more fights than any of them with what often seems like minimal effort.

** Sheriff Ben Meeker from the fourth and fifth movies is a, {{Downplayed|Trope}} example. He's a strong contender for the second-most competent and tough cop in the franchise (after Hawkins below), while his deputies and state police colleagues, while not entirely useless, tend to suffer RedShirt fates, occasionally overlook something important, such as a KillerInTheBackseat, and [[SkewedPriorities abandon children in favour of pursuing Michael]].

* "VideoGame/Road96": Fanny appears to be the only member of Petria's police force that doesn't abuse authority and is caring to the hitchhikers that she meets and even helps some of the ones she encounters. She doesn't enjoy working for the corrupt Petrian government, but works for them anyway to support her adopted son, Alex.

** Sheriff Ben Meeker from the fourth and fifth movies is a strong contender for the second-most competent and tough cop in the franchise (after Hawkins below), while his deputies and state police colleagues, while not entirely useless, tend to suffer RedShirt fates, occasionally overlook something important, such as a KillerInTheBackseat, and [[SkewedPriorities abandon children in favour of pursuing Michael]].

** Sheriff Ben Meeker from the fourth and fifth movies is a strong contender for the second-most competent and tough cop in the franchise (after Hawkins below), while his deputies and state police colleagues, while brave and decent men, tend to suffer RedShirt fates and occasionally overlook something important.

* ''Film/CitizenX'': Borakov is a driven investigator who is surrounded by lazy and cynical subordinates, although they become more dedicated and efficient as they become more invested in the case.

%%* ''{{Film/Karen}}'': Officer Hill is Mike's younger partner who challenges Mike several times when he goes too far with Malik and [[spoiler: even has a BigDamnHeroes moment at the end when he intervenes just in time to keep Karen and Mike from killing Imani.]]

* ''Literature/TrueGrit'': The unseen [=LT=] Quinn is the only marshal in the territory who always brings his prisoners in alive. This is exactly why the revenge-seeking Mattie declines to ask for his help and instead teams up with CowboyCop and former Civil War marauder Rooster Cogburn (who, to his credit, does make offers of mercy to a few outlaws throughout the story and once brought in a man alive even though the guy killed his partner).

* ''Film/{{Wonka}}'': The Chief of Police is an imbecilic DirtyCop while the meaningfully named Officer Affable is the only person to dislike or question some of his more suspicious actions.

* ''Series/ThePurge'': Season 2 flashbacks show Ryan Grant and his team as the only ones at their precinct who are trying to stop a drug cartel (albeit by trying to go CowboyCop on Purge night) instead of taking money to protect it, which leads to them deciding to TurnInYourBadge and become bank robbers after seeing how their boss was dirty.

* ''Series/ThePurge'': Recurring character [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Pete the Cop]] is an ex-policeman with a strong moral compass: before he quit the force, he was one of the only officers who opposed the Purge, trying to stop his colleagues from engaging in VigilanteMan behaviour, but was constantly stymied by his pro-Purge superiors and eventually left to open up a [[TruceZone safe-haven bar]].

** ''Series/TheMandalorian'': The New Republic is shown in this series to be nearly as bad at its job as the prequel-era Republic. Captain Carson "Blue" Teva, a recurring X-Wing pilot with the Adelphi Rangers, seems to be the only senior NR law enforcement officer actually interested in investigating recent happenings in the Outer Rim, and he gets stonewalled at every turn by his superiors on Coruscant despite mounting evidence of [[TheRemnant Imperial Remnant]] activity. This leads to him going to the Mandalorians for help when SpacePirates lay siege to Nevarro.

* ''{{Film/Karen}}'': Officer Hill is Mike's younger partner who challenges Mike several times when he goes too far with Malik and [[spoiler: even has a BigDamnHeroes moment at the end when he intervenes just in time to keep Karen and Mike from killing Imani.]]

* ''Film/LAConfidential'': Downplayed with [[RabidCop Bud]], as he is willing to use excessive force to get results, but he disdains being used as muscle and genuinely wants to use his position for justice, [[WifeBasherBasher especially against those who abuse women]], in contrast to many of the other cops like Jack [[spoiler: or Dudley]] who use their position for their own gain. He eventually works with Ed, one of the other relatively honest cops in the [=LAPD=], to find the true culprit of the Nite Owl case and eventually uncovers the corruption that was within the force.

* ''Film/LAConfidential'': Downplayed with [[RabidCop Bud]], as he is willing to use excessive force to get results, but he disdains being used as muscle and genuinely wants to use his position for justice, [[WifeBasherBasher especially against those who abuse women]], in contrast to many of the other cops like Jack [[spoiler: or Dudley]] who use their position for their own gain. He eventually works with, Ed one of the other relatively honest cops in the [=LAPD=], to find the true culprit of the Nite Owl case and eventually uncovers the corruption that was within the force.

* ''Film/LAConfidential: Downplayed with [[RabidCop Bud]], as he is willing to use excessive force to get results, but he disdains being used as muscle and genuinely wants to use his position for justice, [[WifeBasherBasher especially against those who abuse women]], in contrast to many of the other cops like Jack [[spoiler: or Dudley]] who use their position for their own gain. He eventually works with, Ed one of the other relatively honest cops in the [=LAPD=], to find the true culprit of the Nite Owl case and eventually uncovers the corruption that was within the force.

* ''Film/HotFuzz'': For most of the film, Sgt. Angel is the sole officer of the Sanford PD taking his job -- and a grisly string of deaths -- seriously, with the rest of the department being too lazy and complacent to treat the deaths as anything more than accidents. [[spoiler:This is largely due to the influence of Inspector Butterman, who is part of the conspiracy behind the deaths. Ultimately subverted in the end, when Angel and Butterman’s son are able to convince the other bobbies to turn on their superior.]]

* ''ComicBook/BatmanEarthOne'': Interestingly flipped on its head and played with in this Elseworlds. In a universe where Jim Gordon is just as corrupt and ineffectual as every other cop in the GCPD (because [[IHaveYourWife his wife was murdered and he's terrified his daughter will be next]] if he actively opposes corruption), it's actually Harvey Bullock who takes this role. Whilst an out-of-touch, smug outsider who comes to Gotham in order to [[GloryHound boost his profile]], Bullock is a genuinely honest and dedicated cop, who starts up proper investigations, even into the cases Gordon tells him to drop. His influence and support actually help Gordon regain his former backbone and allows him to grow into his more familiar role in the franchise as the series goes on, with his rise in the ranks seeing him able to bring about some real improvements to the GCPD.
* ''ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'': Officer Rohrbach is among the few cops that Nightwing can actually count on until he joins the Blüdhaven police himself -- at which point she introduces him to a circle of honest cops who actually do their job in secret from the rest of the force.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020'': Renee Montoya is a Gotham cop with a sharp eye for crime scene clues and an honorable drive to protect the city. However, her fellow cops are prone to either ignore her deductions or, if they do produce results, take all the credit for her accomplishments. Ultimately Renee comes to realize that she will never achieve justice or [[DudeWheresMyRespect earn respect]] at the GCPD and quits the force, joining with her newfound vigilante friends to create the Birds of Prey.
* ''{{Film/Bright}}'': Officer Nick Jakoby became the first-ever orc cop of the LAPD -- bearing through [[CategoryTraitor the immense disapproval of his fellow orcs]] and [[FantasticRacism the blatant bigotry]] and corruption of the LAPD itself -- entirely because he always wanted to be a good cop who does right by everyone. Even facing immense mistreatment and challenges to his morals, he refuses to lose sight of his mission to protect the innocent and uphold justice as it's deserved, with many -- from his jaded partner, Officer Ward, to [[VillainRespect orc gangster Dorghu]] -- expressing admiration for how [[TheIncorruptible incorruptible]] Jakoby is in his heroic ideals.

* ''Film/WestSideStory2021'': Officer Krupke is this thanks to his AdaptationalPersonalityChange. Rather than the bigoted {{Jerkass}} he is in the stage musical, here he's an honest cop who looks out for the entire neighborhood and genuinely wants to help both the Jets and the Sharks avoid lives of crime and imprisonment. Meanwhile, his boss Lt. Schrank is still a BigotWithABadge, wanting to lock up as many gang members (especially the Sharks) as possible to keep crime down until the area is gentrified and he can be in charge of a relatively crime-free neighborhood.

* ''[[Series/OneEightHundredMissing 1-800-Missing]]'': The Ridgeport, Connecticut PD from "Cop Out" are revealed to all be dirty, with Chief Jack Sanderson being their ringleader. Under Sanderson, the PD regularly skim cash and goods off the cities port ranging into millions, as well as beating into silence or flat out murdering any witnesses. Sanderson ensures the corruption by killing any officers who don't get with the program or forcing them to kill others so he has them in his pocket. However, Deputy Chief Paula Deinecher is still honest and tries her best to expose Sanderson's corruption, to the point of recruiting an ally from the Boston PD to go undercover to find the evidence to bring him down. Sanderson has her murdered for this, but Paula's actions still lead to the FBI uncovering the corruption.

* ''Series/Dark2017'':

* ''Series/ElCaso'': The upstanding and rule-abiding Miguel Montenegro is probably the WhiteSheep of the police force, especially as it's 1966 and [[UsefulNotes/FranciscoFranco the Francoist regime]] is still in full effect.
* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': Zigzaged over the course of the series. In season one Jim Gordon is the only ByTheBookCop in the entire GCPD, willing to challenge its pervasive corruption -- the other halfway decent cops are burned out (like [[CowboyCop Harvey Bullock]]), self-righteous and willing to bend or ignore the rules to their advantage (like Montoya and Allen) or else [[TrappedInVillainy powerless to do anything about the corruption]] (like [[DaChief Captain Essen]]). However, Gordon is confronted with [[WretchedHive just how screwed Gotham really is]], and over time he resorts to [[IDidWhatIHadToDo immoral if not illegal actions just to bring about some actual changes]], eventually leaving temporarily in season three. He later rejoins after realising that acting outside the law was corrupting him even further and attempts to return to his former principles, but he is still more willing to resort to dirty actions (such as keeping relationships with the more friendly gangsters like Barbara and Penguin) than he was before.
** {{Discussed|Trope}} in Season Four when he points out to Bullock that a large portion of his reputation as the honest cop who can save the GCPD is built on a lie (with his recent rise to captain being part of a plot by [[TheQueenpin Sofia Falcone]]), only for Bullock to point out that he's still better than all the alternatives.
* In ''Series/GothamKnights2023'', most of the GCPD are corrupt and/or brutish towards the heroes, except for Sgt. Apone, whom Cullen befriends during his various trips to infiltrate the precinct. He even gives Cullen a hug after the Gotham Knights help defend the precinct from the Court of Owls in the finale.

* ''Series/PerryMason2020'': The [[TheThirties 1930s]] LAPD aren't presented in a positive light, with it being common knowledge the vast majority of the force is corrupt, brutal, racist, and only interested in making quick arrests. Detective Gene Holcomb almost openly takes bribes and makes it clear his only interest in solving cases is to advance his career, whilst his partner [[RabidCop Detective Joe Ennis]] is a smug, sadistic brute [[spoiler:who is actually responsible for a child kidnapping and commits multiple murders to cover up his involvement]]. Even [[AntiHero Pete]] admits that back when he was a Vice cop he took bribes and engaged in dubious actions until the corruption became too much and he quit. However, [[MinorityPoliceOfficer Officer Paul Drake]], despite being a mere beat cop, is a dedicated and upstanding officer, who has the skills to be a great detective if not for [[MinorityPoliceOfficer his race holding him back]]. His integrity even worries his colleagues, with the lieutenant not-so-subtly warning Drake there will be consequences if he doesn't get with the program. [[spoiler:Instead, Drake realises the LAPD is a dead end, and decides to become a private investigator working with Perry Mason]].
* ''Series/ScreamQueens2015'': PlayedForLaughs. Throughout the series the Police are presented as [[PoliceAreUseless utterly incompetent]], to the point they completely fail to notice a decapitated body sitting in plain sight and rule Boone's death a suicide when even [[DumbJock Chad Radwell]] was able to point out that was impossible (as well as missing the fact that Boone [[FakingTheDead wasn't actually dead]] despite moving his body to morgue). At one point [[AlphaBitch Chanel]] resorts to hiring two detectives from UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard to try to prove Grace and Zayday are the killers, the two immediately point out they have no jurisdiction in America and question the sheer absurdity of the events, but prove to be the only actually competent police in the entire show, managing within a span of less than 24 hours to uncover the pairs entire hidden pasts and completely exonerate them both.

* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'':

* ''Series/ThePeripheral2022'': A significant portion of the series takes place in [[WretchedHive Clanton]], a backwater South Carolina town [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture in the 2030s]], where local drug baron [[SmallTownTyrant Corbell Pickett]] rules the roost and has the county sheriff's department at his beck and call. Among their ranks is the genuinely principled Deputy Tommy Constantine, who grows increasingly frustrated when his attempts to investigate a ramming attack on his own police cruiser (conducted by Pickett) are stymied, and eventually ''snaps'' when he is asked to help [[FrameUp frame his friend Flynne Fisher and her family]], killing Pickett and the corrupt Sheriff Jackman, who had previously mocked him for [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids attempting to cling onto]] [[GoneHorriblyRight his sense of justice]].

* ''Series/BetterCallSaul'': For the way he describes it, Mike's son Matty seems to have been the only [[DirtyCop uncorrupt cop]] in all of Mike's Philadephia precinct, and truly cared about doing his job and upholding the law. This [[spoiler:[[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth ultimately got him killed when Hoffman and Fenske arranged for his death because they were worried he would report their embezzlement and bribery]]]]. In "Five-O", Mike ends up describing how crushed he was having to try to convince Matty to take their bribe to save Matty's own life and [[BrokenPedestal reveal to him that his idolized father was just as dirty as the rest of them]].