For my sins I’m watching one of these fly on the wall cop shows following the cops on the night beat, and I’m confused.
A guy has just been given a ticket for having a slash, but plod didn’t actually witness the act and the guy on the receiving end denied committing the act. Fine, the guy was a little drunk but the police wouldn’t negotiate and simply issued the ticket and associated fine. The more the drunk guy messed around and argued the more determined the police became in issuing the ticket.
I must confess to having watched this type of programme on more than one occasion and seen this type of thing repeated, people getting tickets for nothing more than arguing. I accept it can’t be much fun doing this job, but this is akin to bullying, no?
Are these programmes supposed to show the police in a positive light or warts an’ all light?

I don’t know, but you’re a terrible person. all eyes on stw at all times. That’s what the cops would say.

Are these programmes supposed to show the police in a positive light or warts an’ all light?

The coppers just play up to the camera because they know they’re being filmed. I bet as soon as the filming stopped he tore up the ticket, probably also shook his nob for him and popped it back in his pants before zipping him up – coppers are more like that in real life.