An Introduction to the Police Procedural: a Subgenre of the Detective Genre*

Vol. 31, No. 1 (February 2019) HUMANIORA page 33—40 https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jurnal-humaniora https://doi.org/10.22146/jh.v31i1.15309 An Introduction to the Police Procedural: A Subgenre of the Detective Genre* Fitria Akhmerti Primasita1; Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra2 1 English Department, Sebelas Maret University Surakarta, Indonesia; 2 Department of Anthropology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia Corresponding Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Based on library research and observation, this paper aims to introduce the police procedural as a subgenre of the detective genre. To achieve this aim, this paper elaborates three definitions of police procedural. The discussion shows that experts have apparently provided a working definition of the police procedural after having identified how the new variant is different from, and yet remains the same as the “parent” genre. While the third definition puts emphasis on the authentic and realistic aspects of the police procedural, the first two definitions can be used as a reference to elaborately discuss the police procedural as a variant or subgenre of the detective genre. The police procedural retains the basic conventional elements of the detective genre—plot and motifs, character, setting, theme, and props, but it twists these elements and turns them into an invention with the intention of keeping the interest of the readers and viewers. Having established itself as a subgenre, the police procedural has grown to become formulaic by creating its own conventions. It is a formula that is generally employed by writers and has come to be expected by readers or viewers. By doing so, the police procedural has helped the detective genre as its “parents” genre stay popular. Keywords: detective genre; police procedural subgenre; convention; invention INTRODUCTION The detective genre is among the most enduring genres undergone generic changes that are integrally related to of the American entertainment industry. Since the mid- shifting socio-political circumstances and to the dominant nineteenth century (Bertens & D’haen, 2001, p. 1; Horsley, anxieties and preoccupations of different periods (Mittell, 2005, p. 3; Bell, 2003, p. 8) to the present, the detective 2004, p. 30). genre has flourished, not only in print, but also on radio To become so powerful, the detective genre cannot and then on screen in both cinema and television. It has merely rely on its textual conventions. In fact, it is the ability of the detective genre to transform itself to suit *) This paper was written and developed based on the first the taste of different generations of readers and viewers author’s dissertation in the American Studies Doctorate with new kinds of detectives, new techniques of detection, Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada and even new types of crime, settings, and atmosphere University, Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. that has caused the detective genre to endure (Dove, 1) The first author is a doctorate candidate in American 1985, p. 1). What has vitalized the detective genre is Studies of the American Studies Doctorate Program of the its ability to transform the existing pattern sufficiently Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, enough to produce what then becomes to be classified Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. as a new subgenre and even to challenge the readers 2) The second author is the promoter of the first author. and viewers’ expectations by combining the elements of Humaniora, Vol. 31, No. 1 (February 2019) different genres and subgenres (Horsley, 2005, p. 5). As “parent” genre. Then, it further discusses the inventions rightly summarized by R. Browne, the detective genre has of the new variant to know how it developed to become become a powerful genre because it “develops through an established subgenre. the conventional by use of the inventional, then folds back upon itself and consciously reuses the formulas and conventions to create a new power of convention and DISCUSSION formula” (as cited in Horsley, 2005, p. 5). Critics have attempted to provide a direct, clear Initially emerging in the late 1940s and early definition of their exploration of the police procedural 1950s, the police procedural subgenre can be seen as as a new variant of the detective genre. The most logical the detective genre’s attempt to revitalize itself in the explanation of this attempt is the police procedural is seen midst of the shifting socio-political conditions and the as the detective genre’s effort to rejuvenate itself. The changing socio-cultural conditions of post-Second World police procedural is produced through the ability of the War and post-Vietman War America (Panek, 2003, p. detective genre to sufficiently transform its basic formal 155). The increasingly complex and organized nature attributes and patterns of meaning. It is deemed necessary of contemporary American society has resulted in the to identify the interplay between the familiar and twists proliferation of new types of crime which require the of the familiar—how the new variant is different from, right persons with authority to handle them—the police and yet the same as the “parent” genre—to eventually (Bertens & D’haen, 2001, p. 3; Priestman, 2003, p. 5; come up with a working definition of the new variant. Panek, 2003, p. 155; Dove, 1982, p. 10). In response In his book The Police Procedural that is dedicated to the new conditions, the detective genre saw the need to thoroughly discussing the subgenre, G.N. Dove (1982) to transform itself by representing real cops and the provided the easiest way to define the police procedural. fascinating, tedious, traumatic, and thankless job they He referred to the iconic American television cop drama do and the ways in which their employment makes an Dragnet (NBC, 1951-59). According to Dove (1982), the impact on them (Panek, 2003, p. 155). This makes the police procedural is “the Dragnet kind of story, in which a police procedural the only variant of the detective genre mystery is solved by police detectives like Joe Friday and that has counterparts in real life, and thus this variant Frank Smith [the main-character detectives of Dragnet]” relies more on realistic and authentic representation of the (p. 2). Harriss (2008) provided another definition. In his police and their work as well as their life (Dove, 1982, p. opinion, “[p]rocedurals filter the ratiocinative action 3; Roman, 2005, p. 41; Mittell, 2004, p. 126). through characters who actively investigate the mystery Thus, the subgeneric label “police procedural” for the viewer, following procedures that are prescribed suggests not only different kind of detective, but also by their professions (e.g. police detectives, forensic the technique of detection that is distinct from that of the scientists, etc.)” (p. 43). detectives of past traditions. Unlike the “Great Detective” Comparing the two definitions, it can be inferred of the classical period and the “hard-boiled” private that the police procedural is indeed a variant or subgenre investigator, according to Gates (2006), the detective of of the detective genre. The two definitions suggest that the police procedural is a policeman/policewoman who there are at least two elements of the textual convention relies more on the departmental procedures of the police of the detective genre altered to create the subgenre—a force and his/her own resources of experience from years new type of detective and a new technique of detection. of dedication on the force. The police detective works The elements of the textual convention of the detective professionally in a team and makes use of investigative genre include plot, motifs, character, setting, theme, and technology a lot (p. 90). props (Nachbar & Lause, 1992, pp. 418-426). However, It is then interesting to investigate further how to suit the taste of different generations of readers and the police procedural subgenre has helped its “parent” viewers, the detective genre transformed itself into the genre—the detective genre—maintain its popularity police procedural subgenre not only by introducing a new in the American entertainment industry. Therefore, type of detective and a new technique of detection, but applying library studies and observation, this paper aims also by changing its plot and motifs and by presenting to introduce the police procedural as a subgenre of the new types of crime, settings, and props. detective genre. To achieve this aim, this paper discusses Discussing how the elements of the detective three definitions of the police procedural to explore how genre’s textual convention have changed to produce the the police procedural as a new variant of the detective police procedural as the new variant of the detective genre genre is different from, and yet remains the same as the is also to show how the police procedural subgenre is 34 Primasita and Ahimsa-Putra. - An Introduction to The Police Procedural distinct from, and yet the same as the “parent” genre. determined to have been falsely accused, then the case is To complete the discussion, it is necessary as well to not fully elucidated and the narrative typically returns to compare how the police procedural is different from, and the phases of the investigation. The consequences of the yet similar to the other subgenres of the detective genre— identification, in which the perpetrator is removed from the Classical, “Golden Age,” and the “hard-boiled”—in the society, come after the elucidation of the case and the changing the elements of the “parent” genre. identification of the perpetrator. Finally, in the resolution, To begin with, like other traditions in detective the investigators assess the case (p. 46). fiction, the police procedural also revolves around a Next, the kind of detective becomes the aspect that mysterious occurrence which of course involves some transforms the detective genre into the police procedural kind of criminal action.

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