History Main / HollywoodPoliceDrivingAcademy

* The leading ladies of ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest'', parodied mercilessly by their CaptainErsatz counterparts in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic''.

** Lampshaded in the TitleSequence of ''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' which not only shows clips of various crashes in the series, but ends with Lobo, who's been doing a one-man PowerWalk between his deputies who are waiting by their squad cars, dramatically ordering them to "Move 'em out!", then {{Face Palm}}ing as they all crash into each other.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series. The Police, Ambulance-drivers, and -- to an even greater degree -- the FBI-agents. The general level of crazy driving varies a lot from game to game.
** ''Grand Theft Auto'' had cops that were rather hard to shake, ''Grand Theft Auto 2'' was similar, though slightly easier.
** ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' - the cops could keep up with you on a straight road if you had an average car.
** ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' - The cops learned from the Hazard County Sheriffs. Then did a lot of blow, apparently!
** ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' - The police would rather kamikaze you with their cars. ''San Andreas'' has a well-supported [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIT_maneuver PIT maneuver]] mechanic, so there can be method to their madness.
** ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' - Despite its more serious take on the series, the cops would rather sit at the side of the road and watch you speed by in a crippled minivan. This time the game spawns new cops ahead of you instead of making AI good enough to actually chase you. When they do chase, they almost drive reasonably.
*** If you happen to be standing at the bottom of a cliff, any cops at the top will gleefully drive off to their deaths.
** In ''Chinatown Wars'' for the UsefulNotes/{{DS}}, where the cops were memorably described in ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'' as "having brick wall magnets attached to their bumpers."
** ''Grand Theft Auto V'' - The cops are ''far'' more aggressive than they were in ''IV'', although they would rather keep ramming you from behind than try hitting you from the front or side most of the time... until [[DemonicSpiders the NOOSE units]] turn up, that is.
* The cops in ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' games are easily shut down, except when ''[[ItsUpToYou you]]'' play as them.

->'''Dan:''' “Dispatch, this is Johnson! Not only did I not apprehend the criminals, but I ''immediately'' crashed my car!“\\
'''Arin:''' “I deserve a promotion! Please respond.”

In RealLife, it's largely assumed that most law enforcement personnel are trained professionals in specialised top-quality vehicles when it comes to {{Car Chase}}s. Their movie, television, video game, etc. counterparts, [[DrivesLikeCrazy not so much]]. In fiction, especially if they're chasing the protagonists, they crash into [[FruitCart fruit and/or vegetable carts]], get [[TrainEscape cut off by closing railroad crossings]] and opening draw bridges, drive their vehicles into ditches or off cliffs, and run into any number of other snafus a real police officer (or anyone with a learner's permit) would know to avoid if at all possible. And the film-writers have apparently never even ''heard'' of police helicopters, since there's 'nary a one to be seen.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]

[[folder: Film]]

* ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'': The cops who pursue Elwood and Jake.
* In ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'', the cops who chase Elwood and his team are, if possible, even worse than in the original film. At least when they confront the pileup at the end of Lower Wacker Drive in the first film, the cops stop.

[[folder: Live Action Television]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Web Video]]

* ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'': The cops who pursue Elwood and Jake. The ones who chase them in the sequel are the advanced class, to the point where it breaks the SuspensionOfDisbelief. At least when they confront the pileup at the end of Lower Wacker Drive in the first film, the cops stop.

* Averted by Ponch and Jon on ''Series/{{CHiPs}}'' but turned UpToEleven with the rest of the California Highway Patrol and just about everyone else driving the Southern California freeways.

See also CarChase and the subtrope LemmingCops, which dials up the idiocy to ridiculous levels. Tends to [[DonutMessWithACop hang out at the donut shop]] with BadCopIncompetentCop and PoliceAreUseless.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* In an issue of ''ComicBook/SinCity'', Marv and Dwight lead a squad car right into Old Town where the prostitutes promptly blast the crap out of the car and send the cops scurrying.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Pondus}}'': Pondus and Jocke sit at a pavement café when a car chase passes by. The police car turns around the corner without incident, and the two comment that something is wrong. True to form, the police car drives backwards around the corner, and then turns around the corner ''again'', this time toppling a shack of groceries conveniently placed nearby. Pondus and Jocke comments that ''this'' was more like it

[[folder: Film ]]

* The UrExample, ''[[Creator/KeystoneStudios The Keystone Cops]]'' - they are incompetent at everything they do, sometimes what they do is drive.
* ''Film/TheGumballRally'' and ''Film/TheCannonballRun'' feature a collection of the Academy's finest from all across the USA.

* Sheriff Loomis and his men from the 1980s cult classic ''Film/TheWraith'' clearly also received their training at the academy.

* The ATF agents involved in the opening ChaseScene from the movie ''Film/BlackDog''.

* ''Film/MadMax1'': Max Rockatansky was a police officer prior to the collapse of civilization. He also was apparently valedictorian of the Australian branch of the academy.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Logorama}}'', police played by Michelin Men show no regard for the [[InnocentBystander M&Ms]] they run over. Or anyone else, for that matter. Anything to stop [[MonsterClown Ronald McDonald]].
* ''Film/ThePresidio'' shows that both the San Francisco Police Department and the United States Army Military Police send their personnel to the Academy for their training.
* ''Film/TheatreOfBlood'': The police think they see Lionheart driving by, and immediately scramble into a traffic jam reminiscent of the Keystone Kops.
* Every last cop in the ''Film/{{Taxi}}'' series is an Academy graduate, whether they work in Marseilles or Paris (where they cause a minute-long, ''[[Film/TheBluesBrothers Blues Brothers]]''-style mass pile-up of [[EverybodyOwnsAFord dozens of Peugeots]]). Nobody knows how Emilien manages to be an even worse driver.
* [[Film/TheNakedGun Lieutenant Frank Drebin of Police Squad]] must have graduated summa cum laude. His driving is destructive even if he isn't involved in a chase.
* The 1988 action film ''[[https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/never-say-die-1988 Never Say Die]]'' features many graduates of the New Zealand branch.

[[folder: Live Action Television ]]

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane's pursuits of Bo and Luke Duke usually end with a crashed police car. This has led to the MemeticMutation of him being a lousy driver; in fact, he was the previous trope namer of this trope, and is considered the academy's chief driving instructor. In the actual show, however, he's not a particularly bad driver; it's just that Bo and Luke are exceptionally good drivers and often manage to taunt him into pursuing them into places where he shouldn't drive.

* Meldrick Lewis from ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' must have been an honor student.
* From ''Series/TheSentinel'', [[FairCop Jim]] is ''infamous'' for the number of trucks he's wrecked, to the point that it's almost impossible for him to get good insurance. Every CarChase involves gratuitous FruitCart destruction, numerous "orange"-light runs, and [[DrivesLikeCrazy any passengers cowering in their seats]].
--> '''Blair Sandburg''': "Jim, that's a red light. Jim, there are pedestrians in the road! ''Jim, slow down!'' '''''Jim!!'''''"

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane's pursuits of Luke and Duke usually ends with a crashed police car. This has led to the MemeticMutation of him being a lousy driver; in fact, he was the previous trope namer of this trope, and is considered the academy's chief driving instructor. In the actual show, however, he's not a particularly bad driver; it's just that Luke and Duke are exceptionally good drivers and often manage to taunt him into pursuing them into places where he shouldn't drive.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane's pursuits of Luke and Duke usually ends with a crashed police car. This has led to the MemeticMutation of him being a lousy driver; in fact, he was the previous trope namer of this trope, and is considered the academy's chief driving instructor. In the actual show, however, he's not a particularly bad driver; it's just that Luke and Duke are exceptionally good drivers and often manage to taunt him into pursue them into places where he shouldn't drive.

* Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane of ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'', the academy's chief driving instructor.

* The 1988 action film ''Never Say Die'' features many graduates of the New Zealand branch.

* ''Comicbook/{{Pondus}}'': Pondus and Jocke sit at a pavement café when a car chase passes by. The police car turns around the corner without incident, and the two comment that something is wrong. True to form, the police car drives backwards around the corner, and then turns around the corner ''again'', this time toppling a shack of groceries conveniently placed nearby. Pondus and Jocke comments that ''this'' was more like it

* The UrExample, ''The Keystone Cops'' - they are incompetent at everything they do, sometimes what they do is drive.

What the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy does for marksmanship, this trope does for police driving. In RealLife, it's largely assumed that most law enforcement personnel are trained professionals in specialised top-quality vehicles when it comes to [[CarChase Car Chases]]. Their movie, television, video game, etc. counterparts, not so much. In fiction, especially if they're chasing the protagonists, they crash into [[FruitCart fruit and/or vegetable carts]], get [[TrainEscape cut off by closing railroad crossings]] and opening draw bridges, drive their vehicles into ditches or off cliffs, and run into any number of other snafus a real police officer (or anyone with a learner's permit) would know to avoid if at all possible.... and needless to say, the film-writers have apparently never even ''heard'' of police helicopters, since there's 'nary a one to be seen.

* If it's a cop in ''Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit'', then chances are good, they're wreck their car while chasing the Bandit, with Buford's cop getting totaled over the course of the film.

* [[Film/TheNakedGun Lieutenant Frank Drebin, Police Squad,]] must have graduated summa cum laude. His driving is destructive even if he isn't involved in a chase.

-->-- '''WebVideo/GameGrumps''', mocking a police officer in ''VideoGame/AWayOut''