On TV, a cop is an oaf who couldn't find a bull fiddle in a phone booth. If he serves a summons, he's a monster. If he lets you go, he's a doll. To little kids, he's either a friend or a bogeyman, depending on how their parents feel about it. He works around the clock, split shifts and holidays.
Many cops have homes.
Some of them are covered with ivy, but most of them are covered with mortgages. A cop sees more misery, bloodshed and grief than anyone else. His uniform changes with the weather, but his outlook on life remains about the same, mostly upbeat and optimistic, hoping for a better world. Cops like days off, vacations, and coffee. They don't like auto horns, family fights, or anonymous letters.