Jack Webb worked hard to ensure that his crime shows portrayed the police department accurately and realistically. While that might have made his job harder as a director and creator, it was a method that he stood by throughout his career.

In shows like Dragnet and Adam-12, police consultants were often used to ensure that storylines were being portrayed faithfully. Martin Milner and Kent McCord often rode with police officers in an effort to prepare to play their Adam-12 characters.

"After several rides in different cars, you get a fairly good idea how a competent policeman reacts under very tense circumstances," said Milner during an interview with the El Paso Herald-Post.

These efforts weren't for nothing, as they awarded Webb's shows special privileges that other shows didn't have. For example, the article claimed that of all the television shows on air at that time, Dragnet and Adam-12 were the only shows where the actors were permitted to wear genuine police badges.

Because working on the series was a learning experience for both Webb and the actors, it made shows like Adam-12 that much better. It also taught those involved a great deal about what it was like to be a police officer.

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Adam-12Martin Milner

Martin Milner felt that Adam-12 could bridge the gap between the police and the public

"I was surprised to learn that a great deal of a police officer's time is devoted to investigating crime reports, running down leads, and mediating minor disputes," McCord said. "One policeman I met had never used his firearm in the line of duty and he was a veteran of nineteen years on the force."

Ultimately, the commitment to honesty in Webb's shows might have been a bit more work than expected, but it was well worth the trouble.

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