Series / Cops: L.A.C.

Cops: L.A.C. (Local Area Command) is an Australian Police Procedural series that ran for one season of thirteen episodes on Nine Network, from September to November 2010. The main cast consisted of Kate Ritchie, Martin Dingle Wall, Kelly Paterniti, Graeme Squires, Ria Vandervis, Tom O'Sullivan, Roy Billing, Damian De Montemas, Gary Sweet and Denise Roberts.

Cops L.A.C. revolves around the police operations of Seaview Local Area Command. Superintendent Jack Finch (Sweet), a seasoned officer is the Local Area Commander, with Crime Manager Detective Inspector Diane Pappas (Roberts) at his side. The uniforms stationed at Seaview handle anything from general police response calls, to investigation of assaults and muggings; with detectives dealing with cases involving drug dealers and car crashes, shootings, stabbings and armed robbery.

No relation to the American Reality TV series COPS.

This series contains examples of:

• Booby Trap: The house in "Ladies Night".
  • Landmine Goes Click: Priscilla steps on a wire in the hallway, which Nathan realises is part of a bomb.
  • Weight and Switch: With a large bell. It doesn't work, causing Priscilla, Nathan and Jack to run for cover. But the bomb is soon revealed to be a dud.
• Broken Pedestal: In the last episodes, Nathan finds out that Graeme covered up his responsibility for the "hit and run" death of Ingrid Stevenson.
• C-List Fodder: Constable Therese Drake, a recurring character for the first eight episodes, killed in the line of duty at the end of "Blood Types."
• Chained Heat: Daniel and Priscilla handcuff themselves together while talking at a primary school, before Priscilla realises she doesn't have the key.
• Da Chief: Jack Finch and Diane Pappas.
• Dating Catwoman: Samantha and Zac, though she breaks up with him the minute she has clear evidence that he's gone back to crime.
• Department of Child Disservices: Discussed in the pilot by Samantha (who has the cynical view of it common to the trope) and Priscilla (who doesn't, having been brought up in the foster care system without incident).
• Locked in a Freezer: Nathan and Priscilla, in the appropriately Cold Open of "Killer Secret". While responding to the armed robbery of a pub, Nathan finds a staff member in the cool room, and when Priscilla follows him in, she accidentally lets the door (with a broken lock) close behind her. They're released before the end of the opening credits, but Priscilla spends the rest of the episode being mocked for it.
• Love Triangle: Between Samantha, her partner of five years Karl, and her ex-con ex-boyfriend/informant Zac.
• My Nayme Is: Jahrryde Trent, pronounced like Jared.
  Jack: Two Rs as well? How cute.
  Samantha: Said his mother wanted him to be different.
  Diane: Well, she's got an armed robber for a son. That's different.
• Naïve Newcomer: Priscilla Smith, the younger of two probationary constables in the cast.
• Never Going Back to Prison: Zac Butler states as much to Samantha. As a result, when she believes he's involved in a robbery in progress and has pulled a gun on her, she doesn't hesitate to fire. However, when they pull off the clown mask, it isn't him.
• Office Romance: Between Nathan and Roxanne (both the same rank).
• ...Or So I Heard: In "A Veil of Tears":
  Samantha: Our dead stripper reported a break and enter about two months ago. Someone broke into his place, shredded his clothes and left him a message on the lounge room wall.
  Rhys: "Romnett liar"?
  Samantha: Yeah. He was living in Gladesville then. He moved soon after - can't blame him.
  Rhys: What's Romnett?
  Therese: It's an online dating agency. So I've been told.
  • Though she straight up admits to being a member later, when they find out someone is still using the victim's account.
• Quip to Black: In Illegal Dumping, the uniformed officers attempt to break up a protest over what used to be a nude beach. They're interrupted when Priscilla finds a small suitcase washed up on shore, and they open it up to find a severed human leg.
  Daniel: At least it's wearing something. (A sock)
• Rank Up: Roxanne becomes a detective by the end of the series.
• Real Song Theme Tune: Howlin' For You, by The Black Keys.
• Retirony: Graeme is killed in action on the verge of retirement. In his case, a somewhat Karmic Death, due to his involvement in a hit and run at the start of the series, which he'd stated that he had no intention of turning himself in for.
• Story Arc: Sam's relationship with Zac Butler, and Graeme covering up his responsibility for the "hit and run" of Ingrid Stevenson. Both of these are tied up in the season final.
• To Be Lawful or Good: Nathan has one over whether or not to report Graeme's involvement in Ingrid Stevenson's death, taking into account the lack of physical evidence and Graeme's impending retirement. He resolves to do so, though Graeme's subsequent death renders it somewhat moot. He still reports it:
  Nathan: After this is over, we have to remember he was a great cop, but I just can't leave it. He taught me that. You can't let the truth die even if...
  Jack: Just take a deep breath. What is the truth?
  Nathan: A woman lost her daughter.
• You Do Not Want To Know: In "Ladies Night", a woman tells Graeme and Daniel that she think she's found a bomb in her house, in her daughter's chest of drawers. Graeme immediately identifies the vibrating noise, much to the woman's shock.
  Daniel: How did you know it was a vibrator making that noise?
  Graeme: Don't ask questions you really don't want answered.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Several of these, especially from one partner to another, such as Rhys calling out Samantha for cheating on Karl, or Daniel calling out Roxanne for reckless actions to end a hostage situation.