Several TV cop shows offer police chiefs who are exceptional, sometimes even more so than the detectives who work under them. Modern television has several chiefs who are models of integrity, such asBlue Bloods' Frank Reagan, but the tradition of having strong police chiefs is as old as police dramas themselves.
One favorite trope is the police chief who interferes with what a strong-willed detective wants to do. This dynamic has contributed to many of the best episodes ofLaw & Order: SVUas well as strong stories on other cop dramas. However, other chiefs are considered classic characters now because they were strong advocates for the cops under them.
10Frank Reagan - Blue Bloods
Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan is iconic because of his integrity.Frank struggled to balance his work and family obligations,especially when his role as Commissioner of Police required him to discipline his sons, who were cops working under him. He also butted heads a lot with his daughter when the DA’s office and NYPD policies were at odds.
Although Frank is best remembered for his commitment to his family, he was also a formidable leader for the police department.He cared little about optics or political concerns and was focused fully on doing what was best for the rank-and-file copsand on following his own moral compass.
This commitment made him often seem intractable and hard to work with, but also made him the leader the cops working the streets needed.
9Don Cragen - Law & Order/Law & Order: SVU
Dann Florek
Dann Florek’s Don Cragen is best remembered as the leader of the Special Victims Unit for the first 15 seasons, but he originally led the homicide unit inLaw & Order. Although he was more fully fleshed out inLaw & Order: SVU,Cragen was an effective, fair leader in both shows who was passionate about justice.
Cragen reached his mandatory retirement age in 2014, and Benson then took over the leadership of the Special Victims Unit. While Benson is also an effective leader, the series lost something when Cragen retired. He often challenged Benson and Stabler’s ideas and forced them to work harder to close cases, and that dynamic is no longer present.
8Captain Raymond Holt - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Andre Braugher
The late Andre Braugher was known for his dramatic chops, having appeared inHomicide: Life on The StreetandLaw & Order: SVUas different and noteworthy characters. However,Raymond Holt was one of the most important characters in the comedyBrooklyn Nine-Nine.
In many ways,Holt was a comedic version of Braugher’s Frank Pembleton. He was strait-laced, serious, and didn’t have time to waste on nonsense. Unfortunately for him, he had to forge a relationship with a cop who was unserious, loved practical jokes, and often wasted time. This dynamic led to comedic gold.
That said, Holt was a serious character even if the situations were silly. He was also one of the first police chiefs to be openly gay, which made him as groundbreaking as he was funny.
7Barney Miller - Barney Miller
Hal Linden
Like Holt, Barney Miller was the leader in a situation comedy about cops. Linden’s character was iconic because he remained calm no matter what was going on around him.Barney epitomized a new leadership style in which he listened quietly and avoided raising his voice as much as possible.
Barney Milleris a classic comedy that has held up over time, in large part because of the title character’s soft-spoken persona.He was also known for leading his squad with a cup of coffee in his hand, which has become an iconic part of television history.
6Bill Gillespie - In The Heat Of The Night
Carroll O’Connor
Gillespie is even more memorable than many others because he was played by the same actor who had dominated the airwaves as Archie BunkerinAll in the Family. Gillespie was a more serious person than Archie Bunker, who was often a sympathetic character despite his exaggerated bigoted views.
Gillespie was initially a conservative police chief who came from a small town in the South, but throughout the series, his views evolvedvia his relationship with Detective Vernon Gibbs, who was Black. The series was based on a movie starring Sidney Poitier and explored race relations and small-town policing.
Gillespie’s willingness to gradually unlearn the racism he had grown up with made him a memorable character and effective police chief.
5Frank Furillo - Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti
Hill Street Blueswas the first modern cop drama, so Furillo’s leadership style set precedents that are still used in cop shows today. Like Barney Miller,Furillo was a calm, steady leader who was careful to be respectful while guiding the cops under him.
Similarly, Furillo was an influence onBlue Bloods' Frank Reagan, as he was a deeply principled man whose value system was an important part of his decision-making as a leader. Additionally, he was the first to stand up to those above him, often butting heads with his superiors over political issues.
4Jessica Brady - Law & Order
Maura Tierney
Jessica Brady began leading the homicide squad inLaw & Orderseason 24. She replaced Kate Dixon, who left the series suddenly after the end of the previous season. Brady is one of the stronger leaders inLaw & Order.She is equally adept at interrogating suspects and dealing with interpersonal conflicts.
Brady doesn’t allow personal feelings to interfere with how she runs her squad, which makes her more effective at directing the detectives to close cases. She has butted heads withSVU’s Olivia Benson without turning into a villain, which makes her even more impressive.
3Joseph Getraer - CHIPS
Robert Pine
Many cop shows use the leader of their squads as a substitute parent as well as an effective police chief.CHIPswas one of the first shows to do this.This drama revolved around the members of the California Highway Patrol, who often got into trouble while riding around on motorcycles patrolling the area.For this reason, Getraer needed to be a father figure. He was willing to dispense advice or use dry humor to get his point across. Getraer’s demeanor helped solidify the trope of the police unit as a work family, which spills over into many police shows today.
2Leland Stottlemeyer - Monk
Ted Levine
Few police chiefs have as much to deal with as Leland Stottlemeyer.He was in charge of a police unit that included a goofy second-in-command who always had ridiculous theories of the crime and had to manage Monk and his OCD-related idiosyncrasieswhile trying to solve crimes.
Stottlemeyer could get testy when Monk and Randall were both annoying him, but he managed both of these men well and was able to utilize Monk’s skills effectively to close more homicides than any other local police unit. That took an impressive amount of leadership skills, considering the people Stottlemeyer was working with.
1Arthur Fancy - NYPD Blue
James McDaniel
Arthur Fancy was one of the first Black police commanders on television. He provided steady leadership for his unit despite the racism he often encountered.He also demonstrated integrity and a commitment to his values, similar to Frank Reagan.
Fancy had to win the respect of his unit to lead them effectively. However, as one of the first Black commanders on TV, he also had to win over an audience that was potentially skeptical of this groundbreaking character. His calm, honest, and consistent leadership helped do that. Fancy’s characterization was one of many reasons thatNYPD Bluewas such a groundbreaking show.
