In general, the depiction of cops as either purely cannon fodder, like in GTA, or incompetent (most superhero media I'm privy to), has always been bothersome to me on some level.
That's not to say there aren't asshole cops or soldiers that arguably deserve their bad press (Nevada policeman kicking a man in diabetic shock in the head, presuming he must be drunk; Abu Ghraib photos), but I tend to think the good and awesome far outweighs the bad. Yet the fact I knew off the top of my head a couple bad examples from media, and had to go searching for good apples, says something about how public service members can be portrayed in media.
Well, moreso cops. I'd honestly tend to argue U.S. soldiers are fairly well-liked by the general public, especially when compared to cops, but that's simply my perception. Since I'm in a media research class, this topic might actually be helpful to me in coming up with some research ideas.
But I understand where you're coming from. While legitimate cases of corruption exist, I can certainly see how media depictions of cops as simply drones in the way of the goals of more fleshed-out characters, or worse, can serve to permeate the idea that those sworn to protect and serve are simply there to fuck up your day or your life, which isn't really the case.
It's a shame there isn't more out there like End of Watch, which is both a really good movie (imo), and depicts the heroism and sacrifice of police officers, but never attempts to advertise that such people are perfect, either. It comes across as real and respectful, rather than a PSA for cops that turns them into superheroes for people to roll their eyes at, and I think stuff like that is needed.
Having said that, I am planning on playing a lot of GTA once I install the games from the "Complete Pack" I bought, and I believe in the ability of mature audiences to separate fiction from reality. Still, that "mature" factor is a pretty important variable, and those in public service do deserve better than what they generally get from media.
My bad for the blog in a blog, but I'm going to bed, so no more rambling from me for a while. Always dig how Carlin's humor utilizes the English language and its usage.