The Best Police Movies and TV Shows on Free Services

What it's about: Léon, the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda. Before long, Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Léon's footsteps.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle & IMDb TV) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: A single-camera ensemble comedy following the lives of an eclectic group of detectives in a New York precinct, including one slacker who is forced to shape up when he gets a new boss.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (5%) are available to watch free online (NBC). 127 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 17 episodes (13%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (TBS & NBC). 129 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: 1986 Gyunggi Province. The body of a young woman is found brutally raped and murdered. Two months later, a series of rapes and murders commences under similar circumstances. And in a country that had never known such crimes, the dark whispers about a serial murderer grow louder. A special task force is set up in the area, with two local detectives Park Doo-Man and Jo Young-Goo joined by a detective from Seoul who requested to be assigned to the case.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PopcornFlix).

What it's about: CIA officer Carrie Mathison is tops in her field despite being bipolar, which makes her volatile and unpredictable. With the help of her long-time mentor Saul Berenson, Carrie fearlessly risks everything, including her personal well-being and even sanity, at every turn.

Where to Watch: 1 episodes (1%) are available to watch free online (Showtime). 83 episodes (95%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Showtime & Hulu). 83 episodes (95%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Showtime). 87 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The true story of the investigation of the "Zodiac Killer", a serial killer who terrified the San Francisco Bay Area, taunting police with his ciphers and letters. The case becomes an obsession for three men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle, PopcornFlix & IMDb TV), stream on a subscription service (CBS All Access & Kanopy), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of criminals who have kidnapped her child.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV & Vudu), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: A modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson.

Where to Watch: 11 episodes (7%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 153 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu & CBS All Access). 153 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: Set in Canton, China in the 1940s, the story revolves in a town ruled by the Axe Gang, Sing who desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who turns out to be the greatest kung-fu masters in disguise. Sing's actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung-fu battle. Only one side will win and only one hero will emerge as the greatest kung-fu master of all.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle), stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & CBS All Access) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: After Regina Lampert falls for the dashing Peter Joshua on a skiing holiday in the French Alps, she discovers upon her return to Paris that her husband has been murdered. Soon, she and Peter are giving chase to three of her late husband's World War II cronies, Tex, Scobie and Gideon, who are after a quarter of a million dollars the quartet stole while behind enemy lines. But why does Peter keep changing his name?

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (SnagFilms & Tubi TV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video, Fandor, Secrets of Cinema & 1 other) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: On the day of his daughter's birthday, William "D-Fens" Foster is trying to get to the home of his estranged ex-wife to see his daughter. His car breaks down, so he leaves his car in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and decides to walk. He goes to a convenience store and tries to get some change for a phone call, but the Korean owner does not oblige, tipping Foster over the edge. The unstable Foster, so frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society, begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV, Vudu & IMDb TV), stream on a subscription service (Cinefest) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 3 others).

What it's about: A drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief.

Where to Watch: 14 episodes (7%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 206 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video, Hulu & CBS All Access). 206 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has a shred of evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

Where to Watch: 5 episodes (1%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 387 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & CBS All Access). 24 episodes (6%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (USA). 385 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.

Where to Watch: 4 episodes (15%) are available to watch free online (ABC). 7 episodes (26%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 3 episodes (11%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (ABC). 27 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 2 others).

What it's about: Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But will Light succeed in his noble goal, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?

Where to Watch: 37 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Tubi TV & Vudu). 37 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & Hulu). 37 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (Google Play, Prime Video & 2 others).

What it's about: Events over the course of one traumatic night in Paris unfold in reverse-chronological order as the beautiful Alex is brutally raped and beaten by a stranger in the underpass. Her boyfriend and ex-lover take matters into their own hands by hiring two criminals to help them find the rapist so that they can exact revenge. A simultaneously beautiful and terrible examination of the destructive nature of cause and effect, and how time destroys everything.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV & Vudu) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: With a God-inspired moral obligation to act against evil, twin brothers Conner and Murphy set out to rid Boston of criminals. However, rather than working within the system, these Irish Americans decide to take swift retribution into their own hands.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Kanopy) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The lone inhabitants of an abandoned police station are under attack by the overwhelming numbers of a seemingly unstoppable street gang.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PopcornFlix, Shout Factory TV & Tubi TV), stream on a popular subscription service (Showtime & Shout Factory TV), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Showtime) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 3 others).

What it's about: Tells the seemingly random yet vitally connected story of a set of incidents that all converge one evening at 11:14pm. The story follows the chain of events of five different characters and five different storylines that all converge to tell the story of murder and deceit.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: A writer stumbles upon a long-hidden secret when he agrees to help former British Prime Minister Adam Lang complete his memoirs on a remote island after the politician's assistant drowns in a mysterious accident. In director Roman Polanski's tense drama, the author realizes that his discovery threatens some very powerful people who will do anything to ensure that certain episodes from Lang's past remain buried.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu & YouTube), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video, CBS All Access & Tribeca Short List), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.

Where to Watch: 20 episodes (4%) are available to watch free online (NBC & USA). 468 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & Hulu). 22 episodes (5%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (NBC & USA). 467 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play, Prime Video & 6 others).

What it's about: A riveting police drama about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department's District 21 who put it all on the line to serve and protect their community. District 21 is made up of two distinctly different groups: the uniformed cops who patrol the beat and go head-to-head with the city's street crimes and the Intelligence Unit that combats the city's major offenses - organized crime, drug trafficking, high profile murders and beyond.

Where to Watch: 4 episodes (3%) are available to watch free online (NBC). 7 episodes (5%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 21 episodes (15%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (Oxygen, NBC & USA). 136 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010, an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV), stream on a subscription service (Warriors Gangsters) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 3 others).

What it's about: Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.

Where to Watch: 38 episodes (55%) are available to watch free online (IMDb TV). 5 episodes (7%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: FBI agent Audrey Parker arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine to solve a murder and soon discovers the town's many secrets—which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past.

Where to Watch: 78 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Tubi TV). 78 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 78 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Rescue Me revolves around the lives of the men in a New York City firehouse, the crew of 62 Truck. Examining the fraternal nature and relationships of firefighters, the series tackles the daily drama of the life-and-death situations associated with being a firefighter, while exploring the ways the men use dark humor to protect their true emotions.

Where to Watch: 26 episodes (28%) are available to watch free online (Sony Crackle). 93 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 94 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: An undercover narc dies, the investigation stalls, so the Detroit P.D. brings back Nick Tellis, fired 18-months ago when a stray bullet hits a pregnant woman. Tellis teams with Henry Oak, a friend of the dead narc and an aggressive cop constantly under the scrutiny of internal affairs. They follow leads and informants turn up dead.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle), stream on a popular subscription service (HBO), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (HBO) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: A Trans-Siberian train journey from China to Moscow becomes a thrilling chase of deception and murder when an American couple encounters a mysterious pair of fellow travelers.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle, PopcornFlix, Tubi TV & 1 other), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 3 services (Google Play, Prime Video & Microsoft).

What it's about: Mike Judge's slacker duo, Beavis and Butt-Head, wake to discover their TV has been stolen. Their search for a new one takes them on a clueless adventure across America where they manage to accidentally become America's most wanted.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV & Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: The series focuses on an eccentric motley crew that is the Smith family and their three housemates: Father, husband, and breadwinner Stan Smith; his better half housewife, Francine Smith; their college-aged daughter, Hayley Smith; and their high-school-aged son, Steve Smith. Outside of the Smith family, there are three additional main characters, including Hayley's boyfriend turned husband, Jeff Fischer; the family's man-in-a-goldfish-body pet, Klaus; and most notably the family's zany alien, Roger, who is "full of masquerades, brazenness, and shocking antics."

Where to Watch: 16 episodes (5%) are available to watch free online (Adult Swim). 256 episodes (82%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 27 episodes (9%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (TBS & Adult Swim). 308 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.

Where to Watch: 112 episodes (90%) are available to watch free online (IMDb TV). 123 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix, AcornTV & BritBox). 123 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Google Play & YouTube).

What it's about: The eerie and deserted ghost town of Silent Hill draws a young mother desperate to find a cure for her only child's illness. Unable to accept the doctor's diagnosis that her daughter should be permanently institutionalized for psychiatric care, Rose flees with her child, heading for the abandoned town in search of answers – and ignoring the protests of her husband. It's soon clear this place is unlike anywhere she's ever been. It's smothered by fog, inhabited by a variety of strange beings and periodically overcome by a living 'darkness' that literally transforms everything it touches. As Rose searches for her little girl, she begins to learn the history of the strange town and realizes that her daughter is just a pawn in a larger game.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: Based on the experiences of Nebraska cop Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) who discovers a deadly sex trafficking ring while serving as a U.N. peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Risking her own life to save the lives of others, she uncovers an international conspiracy that is determined to stop her, no matter the cost.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu), stream on a subscription service (Kanopy), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A military veteran goes on a journey into the future, where he can foresee his death and is left with questions that could save his life and those he loves.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (IMDb TV).

What it's about: Terrence McDonagh, a New Orleans Police sergeant, who starts out as a good cop, receiving a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism during Hurricane Katrina. During his heroic act, McDonagh injures his back and later becomes addicted to prescription pain medication. McDonagh finds himself involved with a drug dealer who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle, Tubi TV, Vudu & 1 other), stream on a subscription service (Kanopy) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 1 service (Google Play).

What it's about: Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle), stream on a subscription service (CBS All Access) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: A bigoted junkie cop suffering from bipolar disorder and drug addiction manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV), stream on a subscription service (Warriors Gangsters) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: Liam wakes from a car crash with no memory of who he is. As he makes his way into town to look for help, he finds only dead bodies, all with strange pale eyes. Liam's first assessment is that a virus is present in the air, but he soon discovers the horrible truth: anyone who comes within a 50-foot radius of him dies instantly.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV & Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: In a twenty-year career marked by obsessive secrecy, brutality and meticulous planning, Cahill netted over £40 million. He was untouchable - until a bullet from an IRA hitman ended it all.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PopcornFlix, Tubi TV & IMDb TV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix).

What it's about: The exploits of the Los Angeles–based Office of Special Projects (OSP), an elite division of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that specializes in undercover assignments.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (2%) are available to watch free online (CBS & USA). 9 episodes (4%) are available to stream on a subscription service (CBS All Access). 28 episodes (11%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (USA). 245 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: When the sleepy rural village of Accendura is rocked by a series of murders of young boys, the superstitious locals are given to apportion blame, with the suspects including the local "witch" Maciara. With the bodies piling up and the community gripped by panic and a thirst for bloody vengeance, two outsiders - city journalist Andrea and spoilt rich girl Patrizia - team up to cracked the case. But before the mystery is solved, more blood will have been spilled, and not all of it belonging to innocents...

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Shudder), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Epix) & rent or buy from $0.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Google Play & Prime Video).

What it's about: The son of a world famous mystery writer, Jimmy Kudo, has achieved his own notoriety by assisting the local police as a student detective. He has always been able to solve the most difficult of criminal cases using his wits and power of reason.

Where to Watch: 99 episodes (5%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll). 55 episodes (3%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix, Hulu & Crunchyroll). 122 episodes (6%) are available to rent or buy from $0.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Prime Video & Vudu).

What it's about: The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle, PopcornFlix, Tubi TV & 2 others) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 2 services (Prime Video & Microsoft).

What it's about: A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Sony Crackle) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers suspects that her husband John is cheating on her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges -- drawing in four related couples whose various partners are distrustful and suspicious about each other's involvement.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV, Vudu & IMDb TV) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: After a drug-op gone bad, Joey Gazelle is put in charge of disposing the gun that shot a dirty cop. But things goes wrong for Joey after the neighbor kid stole the gun and used it to shoot his abusive father. Now Joey has to find the kid and the gun before the police and the mob find them first.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).