TV police drama misses the point

I can’t believe what I am seeing on the commercials for NBC’s latest police drama, “Chicago PD.” In the words of John McEnroe, “You can’t be serious!”

Have TV executives (I use the term loosely) completely lost their minds? Do they watch the news? We do. The people who live in the Chicago area do.

There is a lot of crime, much of it extremely disturbing. It’s serious. I’m not against drawing attention to it. I am opposed to this crime, violations of mankind, being the inspiration for some silly cop drama that exploits the real sorrow and far-reaching pain of crime in the Chicago area. We are victims of crime, viewers of crime and consumers of crime information from the media.

Sometimes in the Chicago area, it’s politicians illegally wielding their power, sometimes it’s a decapitation, sometimes it’s a drunk off-duty cop giving a waitress a beatdown.

NBC’s own website says, “At the helm of the Intelligence Unit is Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), a man not against crossing legal and ethical lines to ensure the safety and security of the city he loves.” Please, we’ve seen that flick before.

We live it. We see people getting out on overturned convictions due to electrically forced confessions. We get it, NBC, trust me.

Instead, can we have a TV show about a Chicago cop who follows the rules and ensures the safety and security of the city? Maybe he/she can be a cop that helps people. Most real officers are like that.

Then, there’s the community activists and citizens who are trying to make a difference, just trying to survive. What about them? That’s the TV show I would watch.

Scott Frillman

Antioch