When you come home from a stressful day, all you want to do is decompress with your Xbox or PS4. Well, cops aren’t any different…and our days can get pretty damn stressful.
I’m a volunteer active reserve police officer in my community, and I’m also an avid gamer. I know that isn’t the stereotype. From movies and TV police dramas, you’d think every cop hits the local bar after each shift to drown their day in a bottle — but many of the officers I know would much rather hit the controller.
To prove it, my good friend Sgt. Adrian “Ace” Acevedo and I went to social media sites that are only for law enforcement officers from all across the country, and we asked for everyone’s favorite titles to play after a long patrol. So the next time you get pulled over by the police, make sure to hand over your license, registration and gamer tag — who knows, it might work out well for you.
“Lego Batman”
Warner Bros.
Bruce Wayne is the world’s greatest detective, at least in the comics and movies, so it makes sense that real-life detectives want to get inside his Lego-shaped head…and cape and cowl.
“Need for Speed”
Electronic Arts
This game allows us to turn the tables on ourselves, which is cool and kind of surreal. And unlike a real high-speed chase, there’s no chance of any injuries — the only thing that’s hurt is your ego after getting your ass kicked.
“Call of Duty”
Activision/Bungie
Surprisingly enough, I heard a lot of officers say how bad they are at this game because of their real-life training to only shoot as a last resort. In “Call Of Duty,” thinking isn’t an option — you blink, you die.
“NHL 15”
EA Sports
The cops I spoke with had high praise for this hockey franchise from EA Sports, which has all the hard-hitting action of a good hockey game with no incident reports to fill out.
“Battlefield”
Electronic Arts
With realistic gameplay and emphasis on teamwork, this is a favorite game among military vets currently in law enforcement.
“Assassin’s Creed”
Ubisoft
Cops enjoyed playing this one because it gives you a strong sense of being the hero. The game puts you up against tough odds to reach your goal, and that’s what we thrive on. It’s also sort of a fantasy title, and cops at times like to be detached from the harsh world they operate in.
“NBA 2K”
2K Sports
With ticket prices sky-high, going to an NBA game on a cop’s salary is difficult. Fortunately, 2K Sports does a great job of making you feel like you’re there, even though you’re in your easy chair.
“Gran Turismo”
SCEA
It’s nice to hit the triple-digit mark in something a bit nicer a Crown Vic. This game puts you in the seat of some of the best cars ever created — taking one of these vehicles for a run in the digital countryside makes the stress drip away.
“WWE”
2K Sports
Few titles make you want to go ringside with John Cena more than “WWE.” The ability to play as your favorite wrestling pro is a plus, and you don’t have to worry about getting hurt and being out on 3/4 pay.
“Resident Evil”
Capcom
You can see a lot of scary things on duty, yet playing Capcom’s “Resident Evil” franchise in the dark still manages to scare the crap out of you. Clearing a room on an alarm call isn’t so bad.
“Madden 15”
EA Sports
Its tough to catch a game on a Sunday when you’re assigned the afternoon shift. “Madden 15″ seems to be the go-to game for serious football gamers after patrol.
“Destiny”
Activision/Bungie
One of the most action-packed and addictive games to be released recently, “Destiny” (from the creators of “Halo”) is all about teamwork and hunting for objects such as weapons and jewels. Detectives do this on a daily basis, and out of all the law enforcement professionals, they’re the biggest “Destiny” fans — but it’s a huge hit all across the board.
“Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2”
Namco Bandai
Why? you ask. Why not? Cops are a tough crowd and some of their answers are “just because.” This one’s purely for stress relief — it’s an easy “pick up and play the day away” game. And who on earth doesn’t like Pac-Man, whatever their job happens to be?
Craig Goldstein
Craig Goldstein writes about the latest in Gadgets, Gear and Video Games. He also helps fight crime as a reserve police officer.
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