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'Street Kings' is the latest example of Hollywood's fascination with morally mixed cops ... here are some of the worst and best folks in blue

By Kim Morgan
Special to MSN Movies

One character Hollywood never tires of is the cop. And as formulaic as these characters can become,... more the never-ending obsession makes perfect sense. Viewers never tire of cops. They may hand us speeding tickets or throw us in the drunk tank, but we love examining their very specific culture and lifestyles and, let's face it, their ability to legally pull guns on people. Look at some of our favorite television shows from the past ("Dragnet"), present ("The Shield"), and finished ("The Wire"). Or think of some of our more legendary cinematic icons, from Dirty Harry to Bullitt to Popeye Doyle and then some. We may call them the fuzz, the man, the po-po, or those brave men in blue (which is what I'm required to say -- my dad was a cop), but we heart badge-wearing crime fighters in all their incarnations.

With this in mind, and as we await the newest look at cop culture, "Street Kings" (starring Keanu Reeves, pictured here, and Forest Whitaker), we're looking at our favorite fuzz -- cops we find good, bad or ... well, you decide. With so many officers to choose from, we had to make some hard decisions, and though this list certainly isn't complete, it offers an intriguing array of the movie cop. And if you don't agree, we expect your report on our desk tomorrow morning. But who likes doing paperwork? (Fox Searchlight Pictures)