Memphis Pd: War on the Streets

Memphis PD: War on the Streets (Tues. (13); 10-11 p.m.; HBO) Filmed in Memphis by Half-Court Pictures and HBO Prods. Executive producer, Sheilan Nevins; producers, Vince DiPersio, William Guttentag; writers, DiPersio, Guttentag; directors, DiPersio, Guttentag; director of photography, Alex Zakrzewski.

But by examining the battle scars of the profession, the hourlong docu boasts a different take on the perils of law enforcement than most similarly themed shows. It offers details on the high rate of suicides among officers, the intensity of work-related pressures and the impact years on the street have on their private lives.

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While the show features the requisite police pursuits, sobbing and bleeding victims and gun-wielding suspects to convey the inherent dangers police face daily, scribes-directors Vince DiPersio and William Guttentag also use interviews to remind that officers are just everyday people who are thrust into a tough job.

Viewers will learn, among others things, that the average life span of a male police officer is 59 years, far short of the national average of 73. Police officers also have a divorce rate twice the national average and soaring incidents of heart disease.

But the show's opening graphic is perhaps the most telling: Twice as many police officers commit suicide annually than die in the line of duty.

By delving into the aftermath of the job and emotions that officers experience daily, viewers will get a perspective of the job that has largely been undisclosed.

The show's cameras witness the cathartic atmosphere of a support group session as the officers recall in gripping detail the horrors of their profession.

A well-crafted score by Tangerine Dream complements the haunting archival visages and well-planned photography of d.p. Alex Zakrzewski. Editor Jason Rosenfeld uses the material to craft a compelling and watchable story.

Editor, Jason Rosenfeld; music, Phillip Marshall, Tangerine Dream. Using gritty footage and compelling storytelling from the cops on the beat, the producers of this latest installment in the cabler's "America Undercover" series deftly detail the risks faced by Memphis police officers on the city's mean streets.

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