police procedural

noun

1. a mystery novel, film, or television drama that deals realistically with police work.

police procedural

noun

1. a novel, film, or television drama that deals realistically with police work

Word History and Origins

Origin of police procedural¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Along with its multicam sitcom and prestige drama modes, there are references to premium-cable soaps about posh women with man problems, like Big Little Lies and The Affair, plus some nods to police procedurals when cops enter the story.

From Time

Abrams is a fan of police procedurals and Guy Fieri’s food game shows.

From Washington Post

Kenya’s first Showmax original series is a police procedural and legal drama inspired by real-life crime stories, reviving debate and discussion around controversies that might have otherwise faded from the news.

From Quartz

Correctly estimating time of death looks so easy in fictional police procedurals, but it's one of the more challenging aspects of a forensic pathologist's job.

From Ars Technica

The Rage By Gene Kerrigan An Irish cop blurs the line between good and bad in this gripping police procedural.

From The Daily Beast

In her hands, the hunt for bin Laden is essentially a police procedural, devoid of moral context.

From The Daily Beast