44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is an American crime film, which was shot in 2003. The film is based on real events that took place in 1997 in North Hollywood. On the morning of 28 February 1997, two bank robbers broke into the Laurel Canyon Bank, took its employees hostage, and picked up the money (“44 Minutes”). As they left the bank, they saw dozens of police cars around. After that, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.
The directors of this film could accurately convey the atmosphere of that terrible incident. The Los Angeles Police Department was entirely unprepared for such well-trained robbers. The most remarkable thing is that no one died among police officers and civilians, though many of them were heavily wounded. I believe that this crime thriller was shot to restore the reputation of the Los Angeles Police Department. The filmmakers achieved this goal; that is why the film encourages the audience to feel proud of the American police.
The Old and the New Ways of Police’s Response
Previously, in case of active shootings, responding police officers, in the first place, set up a secure perimeter around the crime scene. Only after that, they thought about moving on the suspect. However, police had to change their tactics because of the increased incidence of active shootings. Nowadays, policemen in the United States of America use a strategy, which is known as rapid deployment, in which the first officer at the scene is involved (“Police Change Tactics in Active Shootings”). The new tactic means immediate police intervention, taking risks, and seeking to catch or eliminate criminals promptly, which has increased the effectiveness of police officers’ actions.
Works Cited
“44 Minutes The North Hollywood Shoot-Out Full Length.” YouTube, uploaded by Truckin Dad. 2012, Web.
“Police Change Tactics in Active Shootings.”CNN. 2017, Web.