Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Encyclopedia
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol is the fourth comedy film
in the Police Academy series. It was released in 1987.
A group of Police Academy graduates are sent to train a group of newly recruited civilian officers. The original Police Academy
cast reprise their roles in the film. Capt. Harris, not seen since the first installment, returns as the film's nemesis. In Police Academy 2
and 3
, Capt. Mauser (played by Art Metrano
) filled that role, but Metrano was severely injured in a fall after filming number 3, and asked to be replaced for the remainder of the series.
This film also stars a young David Spade
, as well as a brief cameo from pro skateboarder Tony Hawk
.
) decides that the police force is overworked and understaffed, so he comes up with the idea of recruiting civilian volunteers to work side-by-side with his officers in a program called "Citizens On Patrol" (COP).
Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg
) and his friends Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith
), Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow
), Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf
), Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait
), Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky
), Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey
), and Debbie Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook
) are in charge of training the civilians. The civilians include the enormous Tommy "House" Conklin (Tab Thacker
), gung-ho senior citizen Lois Feldman (Billie Bird
), and skateboarding delinquents Kyle (David Spade
) and Arnie (Brian Backer
).
Captain Thaddeus Harris (G. W. Bailey
) believes "the concept of citizens doing police work is asinine" and plans to take over Lassard's job, and that's why Harris is determined to see the COP program fail. When Lassard leaves on an overseas conference, Harris, along with his right hand man Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey
), are put in charge of the academy and Harris immedietely plots to make the COP volunteers quit and leave the police work to the officers. The volunteers do well in their training, Mrs. Feldman excelling in firing Tackleberry's .44 Magnum
. In training for water safety and drowning victim rescue, Zed "rescues" a cadet but experiences a personal loss of his no longer functioning watch, and mourns the death of the cartoon character inside of it saying it was the last thing he ever stole before joining the academy. Through his loss Zed gains a love interest, Laura (Corinne Bohrer
), a reporter/photographer who has come to the academy to view Lassard's COP program and takes a fancy to Zed. Unfortunately Harris ruins the moment and insults Zed and Laura, which causes Zed to replace Harris's deoderant with mace
. In the next scene while Zed instructs the volunteers on the very important matter of how to correctly eat a donut, Harris is seen wearing a medical device suspending his arms in the air. Despite the pranks played upon him during the various training exercises the volunteers take, Harris is determined to make the Citizens on Patrol program fail.
Jones learn that volunteers House, Kyle, and Arnie believe themselves ready to go out and catch criminals, so Jones, Mahoney, Hightower, and Tackleberry play a prank on the boys to make them take their training more seriously. Later, after being yelled at again by Captain Harris and being called a disgrace, Zed is comforted again by Laura, who says she thinks he's perfect.
After several volunteers foil an undercover police sting, the Citizens on Patrol program is suspended, much to Harris's delight. While Harris gives a tour of his precinct, Proctor messes up and is tricked by the inmates into releasing every inmate at the precinct 19 jail, including a team of ninjas, and special guest Randall "Tex" Cobb
When Lassard's officers hear of the jailbreak, the COP volunteers are dispatched along with the regular officers to catch the escaped felons, which include a team of ninja warriors. After stopping a robbery, and a high speed air balloon chase, the felons are all recaptured. Meanwhile House, Kyle, and Arnie save Harris and Proctor from drowning in a river. And Zed impresses his girlfriend Laura by saving Sweetchuck's life after they both fall out of a plane in mid-air.
The several police chiefs who came to witness Lassard's program in action congratulate and compliment Lassard on his program and his officers.
,
Chris Miller
,
Tommy Guerrero
,
Lance Mountain
,
Mike McGill
,
Tony Hawk
.
The film was poorly received, with a 0% "freshness" rating and an average reviewer rating of 2.4 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
in the Police Academy series. It was released in 1987.
A group of Police Academy graduates are sent to train a group of newly recruited civilian officers. The original Police Academy
Police Academy (film)
Police Academy is a 1984 comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, and starring Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall and G.W. Bailey. It grossed approximately $146 million worldwide and spawned six more films in the Police Academy series.-Plot:...
cast reprise their roles in the film. Capt. Harris, not seen since the first installment, returns as the film's nemesis. In Police Academy 2
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is a 1985 comedy film directed by Jerry Paris. It is the first of six sequels in the Police Academy series.Many actors return from the first film to respectively reprise their roles...
and 3
Police Academy 3: Back in Training
Police Academy 3: Back in Training is the third film in the Police Academy film series, released on March 21, 1986.-Plot:The film begins in a large garage structure, where Lt. Proctor and Commandant Mauser meet up with former Police Academy cadets, Chad Copeland and Kyle Blankes...
, Capt. Mauser (played by Art Metrano
Art Metrano
Arthur "Art" Metrano is an American actor and comedian, born in Brooklyn, New York City. Metrano may be best known for his role as Lt./Capt./Cmdt. Mauser in Police Academy 2 and Police Academy 3....
) filled that role, but Metrano was severely injured in a fall after filming number 3, and asked to be replaced for the remainder of the series.
This film also stars a young David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
, as well as a brief cameo from pro skateboarder Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk , nicknamed "The Birdman" is an American retired professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision...
.
Plot
Commandant Eric Lassard (George GaynesGeorge Gaynes
George Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
) decides that the police force is overworked and understaffed, so he comes up with the idea of recruiting civilian volunteers to work side-by-side with his officers in a program called "Citizens On Patrol" (COP).
Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
) and his friends Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith
Bubba Smith
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football player who became an actor after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end on the Spartans football team...
), Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
), Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf
David Graf
Paul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
), Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait
Bobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
), Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky
Tim Kazurinsky
Timothy J. Kazurinsky is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his role as Carl Sweetchuck in the Police Academy films...
), Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the timid Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies...
), and Debbie Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook
Leslie Easterbrook
-Early life:Easterbrook was born in Los Angeles and adopted by a family in rural Nebraska, where she was raised. Her father later earned a Ph.D and became a voice/trumpet professor at University of Nebraska at Kearney...
) are in charge of training the civilians. The civilians include the enormous Tommy "House" Conklin (Tab Thacker
Tab Thacker
Talmadge Layne "Tab" Thacker , was a former NCAA wrestler and actor.While at North Carolina State University Thacker won the NCAA heavyweight wrestling championship in 1984, collecting 4 Atlantic Coast Conference titles along with the Wolfpack. He finished his college career 92-11-1, ranking...
), gung-ho senior citizen Lois Feldman (Billie Bird
Billie Bird
Billie Bird was an American actress and comedienne.-Early life:Born Berniece Bird in Pocatello, Idaho, Bird was discovered at the age of eight while living at an orphanage...
), and skateboarding delinquents Kyle (David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
) and Arnie (Brian Backer
Brian Backer
Brian Backer is an American actor who has starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role in the 1982 hit comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High as shy teenager Mark "Rat" Ratner...
).
Captain Thaddeus Harris (G. W. Bailey
G. W. Bailey
George William "G.W." Bailey is an American stage, television and film actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H ; Lieutenant—and later, Captain—Thaddeus Harris in Police Academy...
) believes "the concept of citizens doing police work is asinine" and plans to take over Lassard's job, and that's why Harris is determined to see the COP program fail. When Lassard leaves on an overseas conference, Harris, along with his right hand man Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey
Lance Kinsey
Lance Kinsey is a Canadian actor and screenwriter, best known for his role as Lt. Proctor in several of the Police Academy film series. He also played the male lead in Club Fed.-External links:...
), are put in charge of the academy and Harris immedietely plots to make the COP volunteers quit and leave the police work to the officers. The volunteers do well in their training, Mrs. Feldman excelling in firing Tackleberry's .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
. In training for water safety and drowning victim rescue, Zed "rescues" a cadet but experiences a personal loss of his no longer functioning watch, and mourns the death of the cartoon character inside of it saying it was the last thing he ever stole before joining the academy. Through his loss Zed gains a love interest, Laura (Corinne Bohrer
Corinne Bohrer
Corinne Vilhelma Bohrer is an American movie and television actress.-Early life:She grew up in Arlington, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex area, where she attended Lamar High School. She was active in drama, band, and student government...
), a reporter/photographer who has come to the academy to view Lassard's COP program and takes a fancy to Zed. Unfortunately Harris ruins the moment and insults Zed and Laura, which causes Zed to replace Harris's deoderant with mace
Mace (spray)
Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
. In the next scene while Zed instructs the volunteers on the very important matter of how to correctly eat a donut, Harris is seen wearing a medical device suspending his arms in the air. Despite the pranks played upon him during the various training exercises the volunteers take, Harris is determined to make the Citizens on Patrol program fail.
Jones learn that volunteers House, Kyle, and Arnie believe themselves ready to go out and catch criminals, so Jones, Mahoney, Hightower, and Tackleberry play a prank on the boys to make them take their training more seriously. Later, after being yelled at again by Captain Harris and being called a disgrace, Zed is comforted again by Laura, who says she thinks he's perfect.
After several volunteers foil an undercover police sting, the Citizens on Patrol program is suspended, much to Harris's delight. While Harris gives a tour of his precinct, Proctor messes up and is tricked by the inmates into releasing every inmate at the precinct 19 jail, including a team of ninjas, and special guest Randall "Tex" Cobb
When Lassard's officers hear of the jailbreak, the COP volunteers are dispatched along with the regular officers to catch the escaped felons, which include a team of ninja warriors. After stopping a robbery, and a high speed air balloon chase, the felons are all recaptured. Meanwhile House, Kyle, and Arnie save Harris and Proctor from drowning in a river. And Zed impresses his girlfriend Laura by saving Sweetchuck's life after they both fall out of a plane in mid-air.
The several police chiefs who came to witness Lassard's program in action congratulate and compliment Lassard on his program and his officers.
Staff at The Academy
- Steve GuttenbergSteve GuttenbergSteven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
as Sgt. Carey Mahoney - Bubba SmithBubba SmithCharles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football player who became an actor after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end on the Spartans football team...
as Sgt. Moses Hightower - Michael WinslowMichael WinslowMichael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
as Sgt. Larvell Jones - David GrafDavid GrafPaul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry - Tim KazurinskyTim KazurinskyTimothy J. Kazurinsky is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his role as Carl Sweetchuck in the Police Academy films...
as Officer Sweetchuck - Leslie EasterbrookLeslie Easterbrook-Early life:Easterbrook was born in Los Angeles and adopted by a family in rural Nebraska, where she was raised. Her father later earned a Ph.D and became a voice/trumpet professor at University of Nebraska at Kearney...
as Sgt/LT. Debbie Callaghan - Marion RamseyMarion RamseyMarion Ramsey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the timid Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies...
as Sgt. Laverne Hooks - Brian TochiBrian TochiBrian Keith Tochihara , better known as Brian Tochi, is a U.S. actor, screen-writer, movie director and producer. He was widely recognized as the most popular East Asian child actor working in U.S. television during the late 1960s through much of the 1970s having appeared in various T.V. series and...
as Officer "Elvis" Nogata - Lance KinseyLance KinseyLance Kinsey is a Canadian actor and screenwriter, best known for his role as Lt. Proctor in several of the Police Academy film series. He also played the male lead in Club Fed.-External links:...
as Lt. Proctor - G. W. BaileyG. W. BaileyGeorge William "G.W." Bailey is an American stage, television and film actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H ; Lieutenant—and later, Captain—Thaddeus Harris in Police Academy...
as Capt. Thaddeus Harris - George GaynesGeorge GaynesGeorge Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
as Cmndt. Eric Lassard - George R. RobertsonGeorge R. RobertsonGeorge R. Robertson is and American actor, most famous for his roles in the first 6 of 7 Police Academy movies and the film JFK. He also guest-starred on an episode of The Twilight Zone .-Career:...
as Commissioner Henry Hurst - Bobcat GoldthwaitBobcat GoldthwaitRobert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
as Officer Zed
C.O.P Program
- Derek McGrathDerek McGrathDerek McGrath is a Canadian actor.He is known for his roles in Cheers as "Andy-Andy" Schroeder , Dr. Benjamin Jeffcoate in My Secret Identity, Crewman Chell in Star Trek: Voyager, and as Dr. Derek Hebert in Doc...
as Butterworth - Scott ThomsonScott ThomsonScott Thomson may refer to:*Scott Y Thomson , Scottish football goalkeeper*Scott M Thomson , Scottish footballer*Scott Thomson , American actor...
as Sgt. Chad Copeland - Billie BirdBillie BirdBillie Bird was an American actress and comedienne.-Early life:Born Berniece Bird in Pocatello, Idaho, Bird was discovered at the age of eight while living at an orphanage...
as Mrs. Lois Feldman - David SpadeDavid SpadeDavid Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
as Kyle Ault - Brian BackerBrian BackerBrian Backer is an American actor who has starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role in the 1982 hit comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High as shy teenager Mark "Rat" Ratner...
as Arnie - Tab ThackerTab ThackerTalmadge Layne "Tab" Thacker , was a former NCAA wrestler and actor.While at North Carolina State University Thacker won the NCAA heavyweight wrestling championship in 1984, collecting 4 Atlantic Coast Conference titles along with the Wolfpack. He finished his college career 92-11-1, ranking...
as Tommy "House" Conklin - Corinne BohrerCorinne BohrerCorinne Vilhelma Bohrer is an American movie and television actress.-Early life:She grew up in Arlington, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex area, where she attended Lamar High School. She was active in drama, band, and student government...
as Laura
Cameo appearances by skateboarders
Steve CaballeroSteve Caballero
Steve Caballero is a professional skateboarder and musician. Steve was born in the year of the dragon, and has had several board graphics that feature dragons. He was born with scoliosis.-Life and career:...
,
Chris Miller
Chris Miller
Chris Miller is the name of:* Chris Miller , quarterback with the Oregon Ducks and the Atlanta Falcons* Chris Miller , American director of Shrek the Third...
,
Tommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero is an American skateboarder and musician. As a teen, he was one of the prominent members of the Bones Brigade, Powell Peralta's professional skateboarding team that was successful during the 1980s...
,
Lance Mountain
Lance Mountain
Robert Lance Mountain was one of the more popular skateboarders throughout much of the 1980s, and one of the five most legendary members of the Bones Brigade, as featured in the 1987 classic The Search For Animal Chin .Mountain was born in Pasadena, California...
,
Mike McGill
Mike McGill
Mike McGill is an American skateboarder. He is best known for inventing the McTwist, an inverted 540 degree mute grabbed aerial which he first performed on a wooden half-pipe in Sweden in 1984 and then at the Del Mar Skate Ranch in a concrete bowl when he returned to the US. He was inspired by...
,
Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk , nicknamed "The Birdman" is an American retired professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision...
.
Reception
The film had a negative reception from critics.The film was poorly received, with a 0% "freshness" rating and an average reviewer rating of 2.4 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.