Meaning of good cop/bad cop | Babel Free

Definitions

Noun. [C1]

Examples

“The sounder view of apparent divisions within the regime is that Iran plays “good cop/bad cop” with the West.”

“For an Integral health care provider, both types of love need to be included in one person, so we don’t play good cop/bad cop with addicts. In early recovery, mother love is more important; just as in the early life of a child, mother love is more important than father love. Clients must feel that they are accepted, welcomed, and cared for. But as treatment goes on, and health is restored, the balance between mother love and father love begins to shift, and our clients become responsible for their own healing process and held accountable to the high standards it requires.”

“USA Today bestselling author Lauren Layne brings us NYPD’s Finest—where three Moretti brothers fulfill their family’s cop legacy. Seeing his longtime partner Jill with someone else triggers feelings in Vincent he never knew he had. Now he’ll have to stop playing good cop/bad cop, and find a way to convince her to be his partner for life…”

“Playing good cop/bad cop is not good for anyone. The kids will learn which parent they can manipulate, and they will also resent the parent who is the constant enforcer. The good cop parent isn’t doing their child any favors by being lenient. He/she is being a doormat, and that is going to backfire for that parent when the children get older. They will not respect that parent. The other parent will resent having to be the bad cop.”

“They watched as the interrogators played “Good Cop/Bad Cop.” The one who spoke first was friendly and fair. The other was hostile and scary.”

“Korine didn’t dignify his question with an answer. It was strange. She felt that Sudley was enjoying her discomfiture. She’d heard of policemen playing Good Cop/Bad Cop. She hoped that the Good Cop would arrive soon.”

“When they played Good Cop/Bad Cop, Martinez had been very effective as the frightening arm of the law, and McFadden, despite his size, as the kindly young Irishman who understood what had happened and wanted only to help.”

““All right,” he said, turning to the first sheet of paper inside. “We’re not playing Good Cop/Bad Cop here. Do you know that game?” “Yes, sir. Some captains delegate all the unpopular orders to their exec so he can take the heat.” “Right. Well, I don’t believe in that. If an unpopular order has to be given, the captain should take responsibility for it himself.[…]””

“He’d somehow convinced Masoski to let her go without posting bail; in fact, she’d bypassed all the messy details that usually accompany being arrested. Why? She wondered if Goodley and Masoski were playing Good Cop/Bad Cop. She thought back over the afternoon and decided it didn’t matter what his motives were.”

“Benjamin wondered if they were playing Good Cop/Bad Cop, though so far they had asked him no questions.”

“The entire interplay in the Good Cop/Bad Cop game is a mechanism for setting up fronts, communicating positions, and exploring alternatives. Bad Cop defines the hard line stance, while Good Cop is the sympathetic problem solver.”

““So, what’s the game? Good Cop/Bad Cop? Double Blind? Solberman’s Gambit?” “I thought I’d just go in there and hit her until she talks,” Theresa said.”

CEFR level