Abstract
Purpose This study examines how policing is framed within true crime television, with particular attention to narratives involving violence against women and victims whose credibility is questioned by law enforcement. Design/methodology/approach Using thematic analysis, the authors analyzed two Netflix true crime installments - American Nightmare (2024) and Unbelievable (2019) - to identify how policing is portrayed. Findings Several themes surrounding policing emerged, including victim-blaming, investigative tunnel vision and that of the "hero woman officer" who eventually corrects the investigation's original errors. Originality/value While scholarship on the media portrayal of policing has grown considerably, how police are portrayed within true crime television series remains largely unexamined. In the two installments analyzed, police emerge both as part of the problem (through tunnel vision and victim-blaming) and as part of the solution (through "hero" women officers who empathize with victims and resolve cases). These findings suggest that portrayals of police in true crime are more nuanced than critics sometimes argue.