I loved this movie! Never thought it was appreciated as much as I thought it should be. I really like all the books by Joesph Wambough and I think it shows cops as they really are. Many cop stories are funny. I dated a LAPD cop/detective so went to many parties and etc with alot of cops and their families. And they told so many stories which were very funny. It was around the time Joseph Wambaugh retired from LAPD. Of course stories like the Onion Field were tragedies especially because it was true.
I don't know if cops are the same now as then but they were just human beings doing a difficult job and being judged by many People who don't know what they are talking about.