Our favorite female cops in pop culture

By Wonderwall.com Editors 8:16am PDT, May 9, 2019

Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union are joining forces for TV's newest police drama, "L.A.'s Finest." The "Bad Boys" spinoff follows Sydney "Syd" Burnett, a former DEA agent-turned-LAPD officer, and partner Nancy McKenna, who's also a mom, as they fight crime in the City of Angels. In celebration of the show's premiere on May 13, 2019, Wonderwall.com is giving you the 4-1-1 on our favorite female cops in pop culture! Keep reading for more…

Fighting crime while pregnant? Talk about impressive! Police Chief Marge Gunderson from 1996's "Fargo" is whip-smart and not afraid to take on the bad guys. In the film, she investigates multiple roadside murders that occur after a desperate car salesman hires two criminals to kidnap his wife so he can collect a ransom from her rich father. Frances McDormand won the Academy Award for best actress for her performance as the hilarious heroine.

What would the "Law & Order" franchise be without Lieutenant Olivia Benson?! Luckily for us, we won't be finding out anytime soon. Olivia, played by Mariska Hargitay, has become the face of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" since making her debut on the series in 1999. Originally a detective, Olivia has risen through the ranks and is now commanding the department. Mariska has earned both an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as honorable, smart and skilled Olivia.

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Internal Affairs Sergeant Lorna Cole brought some much-needed feminine energy to the "Lethal Weapon" franchise. Not only was she a fierce cop and action hero, but she was also endearing and flirtatious, causing Mel Gibson's Martin Rigg to fall head over heels for her. Rene Russo starred as Lorna in 1992's "Lethal Weapon 3" and 1998's "Lethal Weapon 4."

Not all of our favorite female cops are crime-fighting heroines. A few are just laugh-out-loud funny. Deputy Raineesha Williams from "Reno 911!" left us crying with laughter for years. The boisterous character is best known for her larger-than-life backside and penchant for using her police power to influence men. Niecy Nash brought Raineesha to life from 2003 to 2009.

One of the very first female cops on television, Julie Barnes, was young, gorgeous and highly skilled. A representative of her era, Julie is flower-child hippie from a broken home who decides to become an undercover detective after being arrested and presented with a choice (police work or prison). Peggy Lipton starred as the "blonde" on ABC's "Mod Squad" from 1968 to 1973. She took home a Golden Globe for her portrayal in 1970.

They don't call LAPD Police Chief Brenda Johnson "The Closer" for nothing. On the TNT show, Brenda had a reputation for not only solving the case but also obtaining guaranteed confessions. An intelligent and determined Southern belle with CIA training, Brenda was played by the talented Kyra Sedgwick, who earned seven consecutive Golden Globe nominations for best actress (winning once), five consecutive Emmy nominations (winning once), and seven consecutive Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

"Blue Steel's" Megan Turner is a rookie NYPD patrol officer who must clear her name after being involved in a seemingly suspicious police shooting — all while hunting down a serial killer. Megan is savvy and fearless in the 1990 film, overcoming abuse and rape to take down the villain. Jamie Lee Curtis shined as the heroic cop, receiving rave reviews.

Rookie Officer Stacy Sheridan was one of the main players on the hit '80s series "TJ Hooker." The daughter of Captain Sheridan, Stacy ditched desk duty to go undercover and catch the criminals. Heather Locklear played Stacy from 1982 to 1986.

Police officer Amelia Donaghy is one of the most diligent cops to ever grace our movie screens. Played by Angelina Jolie, Amelia uses her smarts to discover key evidence at a crime scene that others overlook as she works with Denzel Washington's forensics expert Lincoln Rhyme to solve a serial killer case. "The Bone Collector" was No. 1 at the box office its opening weekend thanks in part to Amelia's appeal.

Detective Lilly Rush from "Cold Case" is so talented that she solves cases that are decades old (some as old as the 1920s!). The Philadelphia cop is incredibly empathetic and determined to find justice for the victims no matter how much time has passed. Kathryn Morris took on the role of Lilly from 2003 to 2010.

The "RoboCop" franchise wouldn't be what it is today without Officer Anne Lewis. The tough-as-nails partner of Officer Alex Murphy (aka RoboCop), Anne is a honest policewoman who has a strong sense of duty and isn't afraid to take on some of Detroit's toughest criminals. Nancy Allen took on the role of Anne in "RoboCop," "RoboCop 2" and "RoboCop 3."

There's a reason Sandra Oh took home all those awards for her portrayal of Eve Polastri on "Killing Eve." The character — and the show — are simply amazing! Eve starts the series as a desk-bound MI5 officer who begins to track down a talented yet psychopathic assassin named Villanelle. The two women slowly but surely become obsessed with each other as the case goes on. Sandra was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and a Critics' Choice Award for her performance, winning three of out four of them in 2019.

Special Agent Elena Delgado is not only a kick-butt FBI agent — she's also a doting single mom raising a young daughter. Roselyn Sanchez starred as the beautiful and skilled Elena, a former NYPD detective, on CBS's "Without a Trace" from 2005 to 2009. Her character is also bilingual and a former rebel who rejected her family's traditionalist views.

FBI Agent and reluctant pageant queen Gracie Hart has it all: kick-butt fighting skills, spot-on intuition, a unique sense of humor and stunning beauty (after a truly hilarious makeover). Sandra Bullock plays the savvy special agent who saves her fellow pageant contestants in both 2000's "Miss Congeniality" and 2005's "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous." Her amazing portrayal earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best actress.

We have FBI agent Clarice Starling to thank for not only cracking the mystery of Hannibal Lecter but for being one of the most fearless heroines ever. Clarice originally encounters Hannibal when she's an FBI trainee in "The Silence of the Lambs" and manages to do what her male counterparts can't: Solve the case. Jodie Foster took on the role of cunning and determined Clarice in the original film, earning herself an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for best actress.