TV and movie cops provide depth of character under these circumstances:

  1. Their wife/girlfriend recently broke up with them.
  2. Their wife/girlfriend has been kidnapped.
  3. Their wife/girlfriend is in mortal danger.
  4. Their wife/girlfriend has been killed by the bad guys.

Too bad it’s all such a cliche. A cop who gets indigestion from old potato salad or a cop experiencing crippling guilt from shooting an unarmed cat would be a refreshing change.