Ben’s TV-Guide column: Southland’s Ben McKenzie Previews “What Makes Sammy Run?”

The title of this episode refers to Det. Sammy Bryant, whom we open on in full sprint, racing through the streets of LA. (I should add, it is also a sly reference to the famous novel about showbiz by Budd Schulberg.) In typical Southland fashion, we later discover “what makes Sammy run.” Without spoiling the plot, suffice to say his reasons have to do with a bright young kid from the neighborhood whom Sammy is desperate to save from a life of crime.

Of course, cops often develop close ties to the communities they serve; it’s only natural. For some, they grew up in the areas they patrol, although that is perhaps less true in a city as vast as Los Angeles. But even for the transplants, there is a logical bond that forms between a police officer and the community in which he works. It’s his job to develop ties to the folks he is charged with protecting. The more the citizenry know and trust the LAPD officers in their neighborhood, the easier it is for the police to gather information on local criminal elements. When a crime does occur, it’s easier for witnesses to step forward if they believe the cops can actually protect them from retribution (no easy task in gang-heavy neighborhoods).

LAPD reaches out to the community in a variety of ways, but the one I find most inspiring is their Explorer program. (It was featured on Season 1 of Southland, as Detectives Bryant and Moretta led a group of members through drills.) This organization aims to provide a safe, structured after-school environment for local youth interested in law enforcement. The kids, ages 14 to 20, assist officers in a variety of policing programs. Most importantly, they are given a route to success in neighborhoods where a lot of negative influences (drugs, gangs, etc.) can lead them astray.

Tens of thousands of young people have graduated from the Explorer program since its founding in 1962. Some end up becoming cops and policing the same areas where they grew up. Most do not, but they have at least been given a precious opportunity to avoid the temptations that ruin the lives of so many kids who grow up in rough neighborhoods all over the city. With that opportunity, they can go on to lead productive lives in any field they choose.

What’s heartbreaking to cops is when they lose the fight over a young kid’s future. At the end of “What Makes Sammy Run?” we find out the cause of Det. Bryant’s mad sprint through the streets. It is a devastating scene (beautifully played by Shawn Hatosy), which perfectly illustrates John Cooper’s maxim: “You can’t save everyone.” No matter how hard Sammy runs.

TV-Guide

March 30, 2010 | Media Alerts, Southland | 0 Comments | Browse Archives