History Main / TheLopsidedArmOfTheLaw

* In ''ComicBook/MilesMoralesSpiderMan2022'', Agent Gao makes it very clear that she intends to put Spider-Man in handcuffs for his destructive superheroics... while also hiring known assassin and mercenary Taskmaster as part of her Cap Busters even while Taskmaster is making jokes about stabbing people.

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' partly starts because of Light Yagami suddenly getting his hands on the titular books and goes on a killing spree with it. The other part is the trope when he starts only going after criminals who committed heinous crimes, with the populace worshiping him as Kira and even some cops appreciating that those criminals bring gone and crime at an all-time low. However, there are many among the police at point of being KnightTemplar that instead of improving their police efforts, they should focus all of their efforts in hunting Kira down.
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* In ''Film/TheCrow'', Detroit has a one-night surge of arson the cops can't do a thing about. A double-murder of a public advocate and her boyfriend rates a couple of squad cars that only show up long after the violence. Start killing off criminals, though, and we have multiple squad cars, a large armed response, a ''helicopter''...

In the process they're going to display such a show of force and numbers that it becomes truly baffling that the crime problem has reached these levels.

* In ''ComicBook/MilesMoralesSpiderMan2023'', Agent Gao makes it very clear that she intends to put Spider-Man in handcuffs for his destructive superheroics... while also hiring known assassin and mercenary Taskmaster as part of her Cap Busters even while Taskmaster is making jokes about stabbing people.

* In ''ComicBook/MilesMoralesSpiderMan'', Agent Gao makes it very clear that she intends to put Spider-Man in handcuffs for his destructive superheroics... while also hiring known assassin and mercenary Taskmaster as part of her Cape Busters even when Taskmaster is making jokes about stabbing people.

* Justified in several Creator/GarthEnnis stories about ComicBook/ThePunisher, where gangsters pay off the police or blackmail politicians to ignore them and focus on catching the AntiHero Frank Castle. Also subverted in that most of the police actually side with the vigilante and don't exactly work overtime trying to catch him.
* Zig-zagged during the Marvel ''ComicBook/CivilWar2006'' CrisisCrossover: some comics had the "Cape Killers" ignoring actual villains to go after heroes violating the SuperRegistrationAct, while the main series and some other comics claimed that the heightened presence of both registered and unregistered heroes was causing a record roundup of supervillains. The fact that villains joined both sides probably confused matters even further.
* In ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns'' the Mutant Gang practially controls the entire city, killing whoever they want whenever they want. The Mayor goes to the leader to negotiate, and the leader kills the Mayor by ripping his throat out with his teeth. The new Mayor still is open to negotiating. Meanwhile Batman, the ''one'' person standing up to the crimewave, is wanted by the police for his vigilante activities, and after he is mistakenly thought to have killed [[spoiler:the Joker]] a full scale SWAT Team manhunt is on for his arrest. [[spoiler:Later, the federal government sends out Superman (and some hefty National Guard support) to take him out [[TallPoppySyndrome because Gotham was the only city that (mostly thanks to him) didn't devolve into lawlessness when the Coldbringer nuke exploded]]...]]

* In ''Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan'', one of Parker's first big wins as a superhero is releasing - on ''[[CantStopTheSignal nationwide television]]'' -- a video of Kingpin crushing a man's head between his palms. Between his [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections connections]] and a ''really'' good lawyer, the video is [[OffOnATechnicality ruled inadmissible]]. Parker tries to bring it up during class, and the teacher gives him detention. The implication is that everybody knows he bought the cops off, and is therefore the de facto master of the city -- and their lives are at risk if they bring it up.

* The ''Film/DeathWish'' series of movies depict the police as having given up on controlling gang crime, yet hounding citizens who actually defend themselves (even across jurisdictions). In the first film the justification is given that 1) the cops need to show that nobody is above the law, 2) they fear that the vigilantism will escalate and 3) they fear that the crooks will become more brutal in retaliation, but in the following films, the cops are either dirty and looking to eliminate a threat or are taking it personally (either because they think that Kersey is showing them up or in one case are avenging cops that Kersey killed -- who were dirty (which they obviosuly didn't know)).
** Demonstrated with great drama in a single scene on [[Film/DeathWish3 the third film of the series:]] when gang members barge into the apartment of an old man and his wife, the man fears enough for his life that [[WeaponForIntimidation he draws a gun and intimidates the criminals into running away.]] Alas, an "anonymous call" informs the police that the man owns the gun (it was unlicensed) and a cop comes to take it away, disregarding the old man's flat-out tear-filled ''pleading'' for help (the neighborhood is so crime-ridden that "CrapsackWorld" is just not a strong enough term to describe it) and only telling the old man in response (and with a bored tone, at that) that he's lucky he (the cop) is letting him off with a warning. The ''same gang members'' come back ''that very night'' to take everything that is not nailed down in the apartment.
--->'''Gang Member''' (to the witnessing old folks): We'll come here '''whenever''' we want, and do '''whatever''' we want!
*** It is also implied early on in the movie that weapons are confiscated by the police if they catch wind that you own them, registered or not.

* In ''Film/District13'', the hero Leito and his sister Lola flee a heavily-armed gang to a police station. The gang intimidates the police into not only imprisoning Leito, but surrendering Lola to them. The police captain pleads with Leito that he and his men are going to be [[{{Retirony}} withdrawn from the district]] later that day, and are afraid to die. Leito yanks the captain's head between the bars of his cell and [[PayEvilUntoEvil crushes it under his knee]].
* Played for laughs in the 1985 UsefulNotes/NewZealand film ''Film/CameAHotFriday''. An old lady, disgusted with the partying going on at an illegal casino, knocks on the local policeman's door late at night to report it. When he tries to go back to sleep, she angrily throws a rock through the policeman's window to grab his attention. She gets on her motorbike, with the policeman pursuing her all the way to the casino.
* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'': "There's a bipedal lizard man rampaging through New York and is carrying a mutating chemical weapon? SCREW THAT! Lets go shoot at Spider-Man.''

* A staple of the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series. Running for your life because a bunch of gangsters are trying to kill you? Sorry, boy, we aren't equipped to deal with that. Accidentally scrape a police car because you were trying to avoid hitting a pedestrian?? [[DisproportionateRetribution You are going down, you bastard]]. Fortunately, in later games they begin to act against other criminals, although they still will go after you for the smallest thing.
** In the ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' era, police would completely ignore all crimes committed by NPC's. In ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' there was an exception, a random event where a police officer would chase down and eventually [[PoliceBrutality kill]] a generic NPC, and in ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' police officers would open fire on any NPC that hurt them or crashed their car. The trend continues to a lesser extent into ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' and ''Videogame/GrandTheftAutoV'', while nearby officers will now react to NPC violence it still a differing level of force than what is used against the player. Most notably they never escalate, if the NPC's kill all the cops the fight is over. If the player shoots a police officer, expect half a dozen squad cars and a police helicopter to respond in seconds. In a strange inversion, police in GTAV will always react with lethal force to NPC's regardless of their crime (in GTAIV they can arrest them), while the player can be arrested for minor crimes.
* ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'': A baffling example comes from the Sentinels' approach to Space Pirates, considering how omnipresent they are in the universe and their firepower. The Sentinels do not care whatsoever if the player is getting chased by 4 to 6 Pirate ships, leaving you to fend for yourself. They also don't help alien ships that are getting attacked by a Pirate squad, forcing you to step in. But if the player so much as scratches the paint on an alien ship by accident, the Sentinels will attack the player immediately. [[spoiler:Possibly justified, as the player is an Anomaly, which the Sentinels seem to particularly dislike.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'', if the Task Force that relentlessly pursues Spider-Man for [[KarmaMeter falling from Hero to Menace]] gave the ''actual criminals'' that much trouble, Spider-Man could probably retire or at the very least start taking days off and vacations.
* ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'': Sable International, a private military contractor, is brought into Manhattan to reinforce the police after a terror attack. They are so incompetent that if any sort of problem arises in the city, nine times out of ten, Spider-Man has to handle it... and the tenth time, the problem is their fault anyway. Their only real display of competency is trying to arrest Spider-Man.
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'': Commit any sort of crime in front of city guards and they will be right on top of you, but if you're the ''victim'' of a crime, say if you're attacked by thugs (usually in retaliation for stealing, but the guards wouldn't know that), suddenly they can't see or hear anything. At least one mod made it so if you're attacked in front of guards (and didn't do anything in that moment to provoke it), they'll actually do their job and help you.

* Notably averted in ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 4'': the cops will attack your character, but they'll also attack the ''other'' enemies if they get close enough (with a few exceptions implied to be [[DirtyCop on the take]]). That the police are coming after you at all is completely justified given the massive civil disturbance your activities cause, and [[spoiler:after the Chief of Police realizes you're actually trying to ''stop'' the local crime problem the cops leave you alone thereafter]].
* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'', the ''entire'' GCPD save for Gordon is [[DirtyCop on the take]]. Not helping this is the fact that this takes place early in Batman's career, with him being seen as a dangerous vigilante who takes the law into his own hands.

* In ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'', the Department of Damage Control is a whole lot more concerned about Jennifer Walters hulking out and smashing a television than the fact the television was showing a video of her having sex with a member of the Intelligentsia (evidence of rape by deception plus she did not agree to either being taped having sex or having it broadcasted, as well as clear evidence of the Intelligentsia -- an anti-feminist group who does not likes the superheroines of the world, She-Hulk topping their hit list -- being more than just a bunch of idiots in a forum), and make clear after they let Jen go that the group is a low priority, if they actually decide to do anything about it at all. This utter lack of care incenses Jen so much that [[spoiler:when she smashes through the fourth wall in the season finale, [[RageAgainstTheAuthor she makes clear to the Marvel writers that they better stow that crap plotline ASAP]].]]

* The titular team of ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries'' is the group most capable of handling the various criminals and supervillains of San Fransokyo, but Chief Diego Cruz cares more about arresting the team for vigilantism, even setting up a fake hostage situation to do so. Justified in that Chief Cruz has a personal ([[InsaneTrollLogic if entirely misdirected grudge]]) against superheroes and can't keep his personal feelings out of his work.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', the Onett Police do nothing about the Sharks - a gang that not only acts as the RandomEncounters in town, but has a ''combat robot the size of a tank'' (badly) hidden behind their hangout -- but they zealously oppose Ness after he defeats the Sharks by arresting him under false pretenses and forcing him into a MookChivalry battle.

* ''FanFic/KingsOfRevolution'': Downplayed with the usually heroic [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Time-Space Administration Bureau]], which has them unable to make progress of the BigBad due to the restrictions of the AlienNonInterferenceClause on Earth. Yet, they focus on hunting down [[Anime/CodeGeass Zero]] just because he is violating, despite him making far more progress than they are, let alone saving the Japanese from the Britannians.

* In the early Creator/JetLi film, ''Born To Defence'', the Qingdao police post-WWII are depicted to be hopelessly incompetent and all kinds of corrupt, allowing a trio of American punks to terrorize Li's surrogate family and cause ruckus in the streets on a daily basis, to the point where one of them ends up killing Li's uncle / surrogate father. The police then intervenes... to arrest Li for disturbing public peace, while turning a blind eye on the foreigners. It's a pretty {{Anvilicious}} film, all things considered...

-->-- '''Lisa Simpson''' to Chief Wiggum, ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS17E21TheMonkeySuit The Monkey Suit]]"

-->-- '''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Lisa Simpson]]''' to Chief Wiggum, [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS17E21TheMonkeySuit "The Monkey Suit".]]

-->-- '''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Lisa Simpson]]''' (an ''eight-year-old-girl'') asks Chief Clancy Wiggum as she's being manhandled by the Springfield Police for the crime of reading Charles Darwin's ''[[UsefulNotes/{{Evolution}} "On the Origin of Species"]]'' on school grounds while the cops ignore a '''''mass shooting''''', [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS17E21TheMonkeySuit "The Monkey Suit".]]

* Zig-zagged during the Marvel ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' CrisisCrossover: some comics had the "Cape Killers" ignoring actual villains to go after heroes violating the SuperRegistrationAct, while the main series and some other comics claimed that the heightened presence of both registered and unregistered heroes was causing a record roundup of supervillains. The fact that villains joined both sides probably confused matters even further.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', C.R.A.D.L.E. mobilizes a ''massive'' anti-teen hero coalition in a matter of days, patrolling towns with military helicopters, arming themselves with sci-fi weaponry, and quickly establishing posts in every major city in America. They also create fake crime sting operations to draw teen heroes out of hiding before taking them to what amounts to concentration camps to be brainwashed and tortured into compliance. Where is all this equipment and planning when actual supervillains attack and {{Alien Invasion}}s begin? Who knows? TheReveal [[spoiler:that C.R.A.D.L.E. is actually [[CorporateConspiracy a Roxxon operation]] to hurt the superhero community]] just doesn't help, considering that this is the exact same demented amount of overkill S.H.I.E.L.D. has deployed [[ComicBook/CivilWar twice]] [[ComicBook/CivilWarII already]].

* Think [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries animated Batman's]] life is easier than his comic-book counterpart's? Think again -- when he's framed in the series pilot [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE1OnLeatherWings "On Leather Wings"]], and again in ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm Mask of the Phantasm]]'', the GCPD almost immediately bust out the kind of firepower that, consistently applied, would've reduced the Joker and 90% of the other supervillains to a fine red paste ages ago. [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE12OverTheEdge "Over the Edge"]] teeters on this too, but does involve the GCPD seeking ''[[EnemyMine help]]'' from a supervillain instead of relying on its own muscle, and in any case [[spoiler:it was AllJustADream.]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', C.R.A.D.L.E. mobilizes a ''massive'' anti-teen hero coalition in a matter of days, patrolling towns with military helicopters, arming themselves with sci-fi weaponry, and quickly establishing posts in every major city in America. They also create fake crime sting operations to draw teen heroes out of hiding before taking them to what amounts to concentration camps to be brainwashed and tortured into compliance. Where is all this equipment and planning when actual supervillains attack and {{Alien Invasion}}s begin? Who knows? TheReveal [[spoiler:that C.R.A.D.L.E. is actually [[CorporateConspiracy a Roxxon operation]] to hurt the superhero community]] just doesn't helps, considering that this is the exact same demented amount of overkill SHIELD has deployed [[ComicBook/CivilWar twice]] [[ComicBook/CivilWarII already]].

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', C.R.A.D.L.E. mobilizes a ''massive'' anti-teen hero coalition in a matter of days, patrolling towns with military helicopters, arming themselves with sci-fi weaponry, and quickly establishing posts in every major city in America. They also create fake crime sting operations to draw teen heroes out of hiding before taking them to what amounts to concentration camps to be brainwashed and tortured into compliance. Where is all this equipment and planning when actual supervillains attack and {{Alien Invasion}}s begin? Who knows? TheReveal [[spoiler:that C.R.A.D.L.E. is actually [[CorporateConspiracy a Roxxon operation]] to hurt the superhero community]] just doesn't helps, considering that this is the exact same demented amount of overkill SHIELD has deployed [[ComicBook/CivilWar twice]] [[ComicBook/CivilWar2 already]].

* In ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'', C.R.A.D.L.E. mobilizes a ''massive'' anti-teen hero coalition in a matter of days, patrolling towns with military helicopters, arming themselves with sci-fi weaponry, and quickly establishing posts in every major city in America. They also create fake crime sting operations to draw teen heroes out of hiding before taking them to what amounts to concentration camps to be brainwashed and tortured into compliance. Where is all this equipment and planning when actual supervillains attack and {{Alien Invasion}}s begin? Who knows?