TOP 10 TV COPS TO GIVE HASTINGS A RUN FOR HIS MONEY

HE’S been called the greatest TV cop ever. Adrian Dunbar’s portrayal of the enigmatic Ted Hastings has had the nation on the edge of its seats during the latest series of the BBC’s But he faces some stiff competition from these supercops… JOHN LUTHER BROODING and disturbing, Luther’s pin-sharp mind and super tec powers have made him a firm favourite with viewers. The archetypal flawed genius cop, played with suitable menace by Idris Elba ( left). CATHERINE CAWOOD SARAH Lancashire’s character in Happy Valley has a tragic past which she needs to confront again when a drug dealer is released from prison. She manages to balance a dysfunctional home life with her demanding job, and doing it with a splash of humour. GENE HUNT PHILIP Glenister gave us TV gold with his character from and

Time-travel show showed non-PC Hunt in his element – getting the boot in first and asking questions later. TAGGART THE craggy-faced Scottish cop was such an institution, the programme had to keep his name when it carried on after actor Mark McManus’s death. Taggart was (and still is) the scourge of Glasgow’s dark side. CHIEF WIGGUM KEEPING the streets of Springfield safe for the Simpsons is this genius creation, voiced by Hank Azaria. Er, not quite. Irishborn Wiggum ( right) is incompetent, lazy and always leading from the back while Eddie and Lou crack the cases. JACK FROST DAVID Jason’s Jack Frost has no truck with authority – he just gets results. Which explains why he has managed to reach old age in the job with practically no promotional prospects. It also allows him to be the People’s TV Cop – and it has worked its charm since 1992. SAGA NOREN A NOD to the moody Scandi noir crime thrillers. Sofia Helin plays the brilliant cop with severe mental challenges in the popular series The Bridge. She is anti-social, distant and has a complete lack of empathy with those around her – but she always gets the bad guys. HANK SCHRADER BREAKING Bad’s Hank was a drugs enforcement officer in the hit series, chasing a suspect without ever realising his brother-inlaw Walter White was the guy he was after. Dean Norris plays Hank, and he went on to the less well received Under the Dome. ANGIE DICKINSON PROBABLY the hottest TV cop ever. Angie Dickinson ( left) was every young lad’s wet dream as Police Woman in the 70s, tackling hardened criminals on the streets of America without ever getting her nails chipped or hair out of place. JACK REGAN TOUGH talking, heavy boozing, uncompromising Jack Regan was the backbone of The Sweeney, leading his young oppo Carter (Dennis Waterman) in the fight against London’s villains. Everyone’s idea of how 70s coppers should be.