History Main / LawmanGoneBad

At first glance, he is the ReasonableAuthorityFigure or maybe even a GentlemanDetective. However, if you push them too far in just the right place (May or may not be their BerserkButton), he will have a good reason to become an outcast from the police force and perform a FaceHeelTurn. What makes this character ostracize himself from the law that he worked for varies exponentially; He has either heard bad news about his social life, a position that he worked so hard for is not as great as he thinks, or the directions that he works under put him under too much pressure.

In a heist movie a lawman pursues the villains and once he catches or kills them he realizes that he has nothing to go back to and decides to keep the loot for himself and start a new life.

If the lawman is not the hero of the story then he might do a full FaceHeelTurn. After helping the hero defeat the villains, he turns on the hero and tries to kill him so he can have the money for himself.

* A prime example is Captain Culpepper (played by Spencer Tracy) from the 1963 Comedy film ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld''. At first he intends to confiscate the stolen money and presumably return it to its rightful owners, but after being buried under an ever-increasing mountain of bad news from his homelife and regarding his police pension (or lack thereof), he devises ASimplePlan to get the dough for himself and skip on down to Mexico for his "retirement".
* In the western ''There Was a Crooked Man'' a new warden (Henry Fonda) at an Arizona prison tries to institute reforms but a ManipulativeBastard inmate (Kirk Douglas) uses this to stage a mass escape. The warden pursues the inmate and the inmate meets a KarmicDeath while retrieving the loot from one of his robberies. The warden returns with the inmate's body and the loot to the prison but realizes that a new warden has been appointed in the meantime. Disgraced and out of a job, he sends the horse with the body toward the prison while he and the money ride off to start a new life.

* ''Film/{{Speed}}'': Howard Paine (Dennis Hopper) was a former member of the LAPD bomb squad, who turned MadBomber after [[spoiler: being forcibly retired, due to an accident which injured his hand. But he was ineligible to collect his pension.]] Howard did not take this well.

-->'''Paine''': (scoffs) "You?! This isn't about you, [[ItsAllAboutMe this is about ME!!]] [[MoneyDearBoy It's about My money!]] This is about money due ME! Which I WILL collect!"
* The Czech cop in ''Film/XXx'' who after one too many humiliations turns informant for the bad guys.

* In the film ''RoughCut'' Burt Reynolds (The GentlemanThief) tries to steal a case of rough cut diamonds, being protected by a Police Chief bent on capturing him. After the gang get the case to the Bahamas, Burt reveals that the diamonds are fakes. Cue the entry of the Police Chief with the actual case, "selling" it to them for a share of the cut.

* ''Literature/TheAlloyOfLaw'' has Miles Hundredlives, who was once a good if KnightTemplar -ish lawman but turned to evil when he decided that the political figures he worked for were the real criminals.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{CSI}}'' the team investigates a series of killings related to the murder of a mob boss many years before. It's mentioned that a patrol officer called in the car crash/body but mysteriously vanished along with the ill gotten gains and the possibility of this trope is discussed. [[spoiler: It turns out that the corpse that was thought to be the mob boss's was actually his; killed in order to serve as a decoy.]]
** In ''{{CSI New York}}'' Mac discovers that [[spoiler: his first partner]] became one of these. Having stolen a large amount of money from a crime scene (he was nearing retirement and didn't think he was being paid enough) and [[spoiler: murdered the girlfriend of the guy who has a vendetta against him and Mac (he doesn't know, then doesn't care Mac wasn't responsible).]]
* Inverted in the canceled TV Series ''Series/{{Shark}}'' where the protagonist, lawyer Sebastian Stark turns from defending criminals to being a prosecutor.
* In its first and second seasons, ''WhiteCollar'' had Agent Fowler, a seemingly corrupt OPR agent who was after Neal but who turns out to be a case of this: [[spoiler: his wife was killed and then he killed her assassin, leaving himself open to blackmail by the big bad.]]

** The culprit of "Details" is [[spoiler: an ex-girlfriend of Detective Bell's, who was also a beat cop. She had been trying to get promoted into Vice, but after learning that Bell went to Internal Affairs with evidence that her late superior was a DirtyCop on a major drug case they were all working on, her chances were next to nothing so she took it out on Bell.]]

* In ''HardRain'', Randy Quaid's character Sheriff Mike Collig does this. Being forced to stay behind and guard an empty flooded-out town from looters, a town who's citizens just ''voted you out of office'' was apparently the straw that broke the camel's back.

** Also from ''VideoGame/Mass Effect 2'', the asari spectre Tela Vasir is revealed to have cooperated with the crime lord Shadow Broker after growing disillusioned with proper procedure. She still considers herself serving a greater good, which she believes to justify the questionable means, and calls Shepard out on his/her own cooperation with Cerberus.

* A prime example is Captain Culpepper (played by Spencer Tracy) from the 1963 Comedy film ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld''. It was the increasingly bad news from his wife and daughter about their personal differences that causes him to formulate a ZanyScheme to go down to Mexico after he found the $350,000 that was unearthed by the others.

* In ''HardRain'', Randy Quaid's character Sheriff Mike Collig does this.

* The Czech cop in ''{{XXX}}'' who after one too many humiliations turns informant for the bad guys.

* Several examples from the ''MassEffect'' series:

** Also from ''Mass Effect 2'', the asari spectre Tela Vasir is revealed to have cooperated with the crime lord Shadow Broker after growing disillusioned with proper procedure. She still considers herself serving a greater good, which she believes to justify the questionable means, and calls Shepard out on his/her own cooperation with Cerberus.

* Sheriff Halliday becomes this at the end of ''ComicBook/{{Hitman}} Annual'' #1, when he tries to take possession of the MacGuffinFullOfMoney for himself.

* A prime example is Captain Culpepper (played by Spencer Tracy) from the 1963 Comedy film Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld. It was the increasingly bad news from his wife and daughter about their personal differences that causes him to formulate a ZanyScheme to go down to Mexico after he found the $350,000 that was unearthed by the others.

* Unlike the more ambivalent ending of the ComicBook, the film version of VForVendetta has Finch clearly joining "V" actually Evey when the rebellion against the fascist government begins.

* In HardRain, Randy Quaid's character Sheriff Mike Collig does this.
* Film/{{Speed}}: Howard Paine (Dennis Hopper) was a former member of the LAPD bomb squad, who turned MadBomber after [[spoiler: being forcibly retired, due to an accident which injured his hand. But he was ineligible to collect his pension.]] Howard did not take this well.

* Max Rockatansky (of MadMax) started out as a highway cop in a disintegrating dystopian future; he didn't turn bad so much as become a free agent independent of the law in order to go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the motorcycle gang that murdered his family. [[FromBadToWorse Then, between the end of the first film and the start of the next one, the apocalypse broke out…]]

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* This may be the fate of Inspector Finch at the end of VForVendetta, when the Norsefire system is collapsing. See also under film.
* According to WordOfGod, this is the backstory of Jackie Boy from ''SinCity''. The audience only sees Jackie as an abusive drunk with an allusion to being a "hero cop" in the past. Apparently, he once earned the accolades of a hero but unknown circumstances led him down a dark path.

* Literature/TheAlloyOfLaw has Miles Hundredlives, who was once a good if KnightTemplar -ish lawman but turned to evil when he decided that the political figures he worked for were the real criminals.

* Shane is this in Series/TheWalkingDead.
* In an episode of Series/{{CSI}} the team investigates a series of killings related to the murder of a mob boss many years before. It's mentioned that a patrol officer called in the car crash/body but mysteriously vanished along with the ill gotten gains and the possibility of this trope is discussed. [[spoiler: It turns out that the corpse that was thought to be the mob boss's was actually his; killed in order to serve as a decoy.]]
** In {{CSI New York}} Mac discovers that [[spoiler: his first partner]] became one of these. Having stolen a large amount of money from a crime scene (he was nearing retirement and didn't think he was being paid enough) and [[spoiler: murdered the girlfriend of the guy who has a vendetta against him and Mac (he doesn't know, then doesn't care Mac wasn't responsible).]]
* Inverted in the canceled Tv Series [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_%28TV_series%29 Shark]] where the protagonist, lawyer Sebastian Stark turns from defending criminals to being a prosecutor.
* In its first and second seasons, WhiteCollar had Agent Fowler, a seemingly corrupt OPR agent who was after Neal but who turns out to be a case of this: [[spoiler: his wife was killed and then he killed her assassin, leaving himself open to blackmail by the big bad.]]

* VideoGame/MaxPayne is a NYPD detective in the first two games but is forced by circumstances (both times involving him being framed for murder of another officer) to go on a one-man crusade against the local mobs both times.

* MaxPayne is a NYPD detective in the first two games but is forced by circumstances (both times involving him being framed for murder of another officer) to go on a one-man crusade against the local mobs both times.

* Max Rockatansky (of MadMax) started out as a highway cop in a disintegrating dystopian future; he didn't turn bad so much as become a free agent independent of the law in order to go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the motorcycle gang that murdered his family.

* The Czech cop in ''XXX'' who after one too many humiliations turns informant for the bad guys.

* In MinorityReport, the trope is both subverted and played straight. For a while, it seems as if John Anderton will become a murderer, since he's already abusing illegal drugs to cope with the death of his son. In fact, it's his boss, Lamar Burgess, who has been committing murders to validate the pre-crime system.

* Ed Kilifer in LicenceToKill. He is a DEA agent who accepts a $2 million dollar bribe to spring drug lord Sanchez from federal custody.
* Harvey Dent / Two-Face from Film/TheDarkKnight. Originally the [[KnightInShiningArmor White Knight of Gotham]], he goes ballistic and insane after some antics by SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker.

At first glance, he is the ReasonableAuthorityFigure or maybe even a {{Gentleman Detective}}. However, if you push them too far in just the right place (May or may not be their {{Berserk Button}}), he will have a good reason to become an outcast from the police force and perform a {{Face Heel Turn}}. What makes this character ostracize himself from the law that he worked for varies exponentially; He has either heard bad news about his social life, a position that he worked so hard for is not as great as he thinks, or the directions that he works under put him under too much pressure.

It's usually a twist ending.

In a heist movie a lawman pursues the villains and once he catches or kills them he realizes that he has nothing to go back to and decides to keep the loot for himself and start a new life.

If the lawman is not the hero of the story then he might do a full {{Face Heel Turn}}. After helping the hero defeat the villains, he turns on the hero and tries to kill him so he can have the money for himself.

To put it bluntly, this character is what's known as a {{Lawman Gone Bad}}. This is a character who takes pride in working for the law before an incident that makes him snap causes him to distance himself from those that he used to work for.

The character may also be a {{Big Bad Friend}}.

Related to: {{Dirty Cop}}

----

!'''Examples'''

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* A prime example is Captain Culpepper (played by Spencer Tracy) from the 1963 Comedy film Film/{{Its A Mad Mad Mad Mad World}}. It was the increasingly bad news from his wife and daughter about their personal differences that causes him to formulate a {{Zany Scheme}} to go down to Mexico after he found the $350,000 that was unearthed by the others.
* In the western ''There Was a Crooked Man'' a new warden (Henry Fonda) at an Arizona prison tries to institute reforms but a {{Manipulative Bastard}} inmate (Kirk Douglas) uses this to stage a mass escape. The warden pursues the inmate and the inmate meets a {{Karmic Death}} while retrieving the loot from one of his robberies. The warden returns with the inmate's body and the loot to the prison but realizes that a new warden has been appointed in the meantime. Disgraced and out of a job, he sends the horse with the body toward the prison while he and the money ride off to start a new life.
* In {{Minority Report}}, the trope is both subverted and played straight. For a while, it seems as if John Anderton will become a murderer, since he's already abusing illegal drugs to cope with the death of his son. In fact, it's his boss, Lamar Burgess, who has been committing murders to validate the pre-crime system.
* Unlike the more ambivalent ending of the {{Comic Book}}, the film version of {{V For Vendetta}} has Finch clearly joining "V" actually Evey when the rebellion against the fascist government begins.
* Ed Kilifer in {{Licence To Kill}}. He is a DEA agent who accepts a $2 million dollar bribe to spring drug lord Sanchez from federal custody.
* Harvey Dent / Two-Face from Film/{{The Dark Knight}}. Originally the [[{{Knight In Shining Armor}} White Knight of Gotham]], he goes ballistic and insane after some antics by {{The Joker}}.
* In {{Hard Rain}}, Randy Quaid's character Sheriff Mike Collig does this.
* Film/{{Speed}}: Howard Paine (Dennis Hopper) was a former member of the LAPD bomb squad, who turned {{Mad Bomber}} after [[spoiler: being forcibly retired, due to an accident which injured his hand. But he was ineligible to collect his pension.]] Howard did not take this well.
-->'''Jack''': (over phone) "Why didn't you just come after me?"
-->'''Paine''': (scoffs) "You?! This isn't about you, [[{{Its All About Me}} this is about ME!!]] [[{{Money Dear Boy}} It's about My money!]] This is about money due ME! Which I WILL collect!"
* The Czech cop in ''XXX'' who after one too many humiliations turns informant for the bad guys.
* Max Rockatansky (of {{Mad Max}}) started out as a highway cop in a disintegrating dystopian future; he didn't turn bad so much as become a free agent independent of the law in order to go on a {{Roaring Rampage Of Revenge}} against the motorcycle gang that murdered his family.

[[AC: {{Comic Books}}]]
* This may be the fate of Inspector Finch at the end of {{V For Vendetta}}, when the Norsefire system is collapsing. See also under film.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* Literature/{{The Alloy Of Law}} has Miles Hundredlives, who was once a good if {{Knight Templar}} -ish lawman but turned to evil when he decided that the political figures he worked for were the real criminals.

[[AC: {{Live-Action TV}}]]
* Shane is this in Series/{{The Walking Dead}}.
* In an episode of {{CSI}} the team investigates a series of killings related to the murder of a mob boss many years before. It's mentioned that a patrol officer called in the car crash/body but mysteriously vanished along with the ill gotten gains and the possibility of this trope is discussed. [[spoiler: It turns out that the corpse that was thought to be the mob boss's was actually his; killed in order to serve as a decoy.]]
** In {{CSI New York}} Mac discovers that [[spoiler: his first partner]] became one of these. Having stolen a large amount of money from a crime scene (he was nearing retirement and didn't think he was being paid enough) and [[spoiler: murdered the girlfriend of the guy who has a vendetta against him and Mac (he doesn't know, then doesn't care Mac wasn't responsible).]]
* Inverted in the canceled Tv Series [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_%28TV_series%29 Shark]] where the protagonist, lawyer Sebastian Stark turns from defending criminals to being a prosecutor.

[[AC: {{Video Games}}]]

* MaxPayne is a NYPD detective in the first two games but is forced by circumstances (both times involving him being framed for murder of another officer) to go on a one-man crusade against the local mobs both times.

At first glance, he is the {{Reasonable Authority Figure}} or maybe even a {{Gentleman Detective}}. However, if you push them too far in just the right place (May or may not be their {{Berserk Button}}), he will have a good reason to become an outcast from the police force and perform a {{Face Heel Turn}}. What makes this character ostracize himself from the law that he worked for varies exponentially; He has either heard bad news about his social life, a position that he worked so hard for is not as great as he thinks, or the directions that he works under put him under too much pressure.

If the lawman is not the hero of the story than he might do a full {{Face Heel Turn}}. After helping the hero defeat the villains, he turns on the hero and tries to kill him so he can have the money for himself.

* There's Garrus from {{Mass Effect}} who goes vigilante in a {{Wretched Hive}}. Of course, he was originally a security officer in the galactic capital who quit due to his {{Cowboy Cop}} tendencies, as well as a Spectre candidate himself
** Also from {{Mass Effect 2}}, there is Tela Vasir, an asari Spectre (elite agent of the galactic government), who started cooperating with the crime lord Shadow Broker after growing disillusioned with proper procedure. She still considers herself serving a greater good, which she believes to justify the questionable means.
* {{Max Payne}} is a NYPD detective in the first two games but is forced by circumstances (both times involving him being framed for murder of another officer) to go on a one-man crusade against the local mobs both times.