Shot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.

[first lines]
Brian Taylor: I am the police, and I'm here to arrest you. You've broken the law. I did not write the law. I may even disagree with the law but I will enforce it. No matter how you plead, cajole, beg or attempt to stir my sympathies, nothing you do will stop me from placing you in a steel cage with gray bars. If you run away I will chase you. If you fight me I will fight back. If you shoot at me I will shoot back. By law I am unable to walk away. I am a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. I am fate with a badge and a gun. Behind my badge is a heart like yours. I bleed, I think, I love, and yes I *can* be killed. And although I am but one man, I have thousands of brothers and sisters who are the same as me. They will lay down their lives for me, and I them. We stand watch together. The thin-blue-line, protecting the prey from the predators, the good from the bad. We are the police.
Mike Zavala: [after the Captain walks out] Why do you get nervous?
Brian Taylor: Women want him, men want to be him, man. He's just...
Mike Zavala: Yeah, I know. But you want him.
Brian Taylor: Dude, I'm not gay, but I'd go down on him if he asked.
Mike Zavala: Sometimes I don't know when you're kidding. And I have to know when you're kidding.
Brian Taylor: I'm not kidding.
Mike Zavala: I gotta know when you're kidding.
Brian Taylor: I'm not kidding.
[laughs]
Mike Zavala: My Grandmother said, "If you can live without her, then man-up and cut her off. Don't string her along."
Brian Taylor: He was my brother.
Brian Taylor: I want somebody to talk to, not just sleep with. Do you fucking understand what I'm saying?
Mike Zavala: White people get hung up on this fucking soulmate bullshit. Just hook up with a chick that can cook and wants kids!
Brian Taylor: You feel like a hero?
Mike Zavala: What?
Brian Taylor: You feel like a hero?
Mike Zavala: No.
Brian Taylor: Yeah, me neither.
[pauses]
Brian Taylor: What's a hero feel like?
Mike Zavala: I don't know, man. Did I tell you that me and uh... Gabby got into a huge fight over the fire?
Brian Taylor: Nope, you didn't tell me that.
Mike Zavala: She was... she's like; 'you could have died for someone else's kid when ours hasn't even been born yet.' She's like; 'you're not a fireman.'
Brian Taylor: Janet said the same thing.
Mike Zavala: Yeah?
Brian Taylor: Um... I don't think I can go into another burning building. I only went in because you did. Just... put that shit out there.
Captain Reese: An on-the-job shooting is still considered a homicide. It's never an easy ride. If you do the right thing, I'll always have your back. Do the wrong thing and cross me - I will personally throw you under the bus.
Brian Taylor: [taping themselves] Dude! Don't swear, man, I have to edit that out when you swear.
Mike Zavala: Oh, fuck! Oh, shit, dude! Fuck, man!
Mike Zavala: Get the fuck out of here. There's a drunk man outside the liquor store?
Brian Taylor: So Mr. Big Evil, why do they call you Big Evil?
Big Evil: Because, my evil is big.
Mike Zavala: I kick doors down.
Mike Zavala: It's so funny to text. Who are you textting? That same bitch?
Brian Taylor: Dude, yeah. She's smart, man. She's like the first girl I can actually have a conversation with. You know she has a Master of Sciences in Fluid Hydraulics.
Mike Zavala: Fluid Hydraulics?
Brian Taylor: Yes.
Mike Zavala: I wouldn't brag about that, dude. That she has a Master's degree in Fluid Hydraulics.
Brian Taylor: I date all these girls, man. They're smoking hot.
Mike Zavala: Yeah, your little fucking badge bunnies.
Brian Taylor: I get laid without a badge, thank you very much.
Mike Zavala: Because you were in the Marines. Don't ask, don't tell.
Brian Taylor: But there's a pattern. An MO here. First date is dinner and a respectful kiss. Second date is full carnal knowledge. And the third date is dinner and uncomfortable silences when I try and discuss anything of merit. Then it's two or three booty calls and it's on to the next.
Mike Zavala: Okay, I went to prom and I got married a week later and I ain't tapped anybody but Old Faithful for, like, eight years. So I don't know what you're tripping about, dude.
Brian Taylor: Okay. Wait, look at me real quick.
Mike Zavala: Uh-huh.
Brian Taylor: Okay, ready? I want somebody to talk to. Not just sleep with. Do you fucking understand what I'm saying?
Mike Zavala: Oh yeah. White people get hung up on this fucking soul mate bullshit. Just hook up with a chick that can cook and wants kids. Some bitch that's down for you that won't fuck your friends and you're straight. Dude, you're the smartest motherfucker I know. You're not gonna find some chick that's as smart as you.
Brian Taylor: Really, dude? I'm sorry that the perfect girl wasn't dropped in front of me when I was 18-years old.
Sarge: LAPD! Drop the guns! Drop 'em!
La La: Curbside Gang, putos!
Sarge: Fuck you!
[the police open fire]
Sarge: Van Hauser wants to file a complaint on you, Taylor.
Brian Taylor: Oh, the USS Van Houser? The LAPD's stealthiest submarine, only surfaces at the end of watch?
Brian Taylor: I don't want to die here, dude.
Mike Zavala: You're not gonna die here. You're not gonna die. God loves cops.
Brian Taylor: I fucked up, dude. I fucked up! Don't tell Janet I fucked up.
Mike Zavala: I'm gonna stay right here, bro. I'm gonna stay right here, okay? It's okay. Do it, dude. It's okay. It's okay to do it right now, bro.
Brian Taylor: [sobbing] I fucking love you, bro.
Mike Zavala: Officer down, I need some fucking help! I need some fucking help!
[sobbing]
Mike Zavala: Please don't go right now. I'm begging you, bro, don't fucking go right now. Don't go right now!
Brian Taylor: It's been two hours. We're still waiting for the detectives to release the crime scene so we can go back on patrol.
Mike Zavala: Comfortable footwear. Policing is all about comfortable footwear.
Van Hauser: The LAPD's got a big fucking cock!
Mike Zavala: Janet, you got a lot of heart hooking up with a cop. Because it takes a strong person. And I see a lot of cop's wives in here, they're all nodding their heads. You gotta take care of her, bro. Cause I'm her big brother now. And every cop in here, we're all her family now, too.
[to a reception guest]
Mike Zavala: I'm gonna cry, baby. Shut up! And Janet, we're all hoping that you can make a man out of Brian because we've all given up. So here we go. To Brian and Janet! Cheers!
[last lines]
Mike Zavala: Let's go fight crime or something.
Medal of Valor LAPD: For their selfless actions and their exemplary service to the citizens of this city, the Medal of Valor is presented to Officer Brian Taylor and Officer Miguel Zavala.
La La: I was born to fucking do this shit.
Mike Zavala: Orozco, you been working out?
Orozco: Yeah, with your mom.
Mike Zavala: Wouldn't it be crazy if your kids were pushing the black and white together one day?
Brian Taylor: Screw that. I want my kid to have an honest job. Like a politician.
Brian Taylor: Sir, I don't want to cause any trouble here, but we just fucking rolled up here. I don't know what's going on. It's the second cowboy like this we've run into in a week.
Ice Agent: Watch out for these guys. They operate by a different set of rules.
Brian Taylor: I know I'm just a ghetto street cop, but you gotta give me something here.
Ice Agent: We got indicators he's a runner for the Sinaloa cartel.
Brian Taylor: Yeah, well, we ran him. He came up clean, dude.
Ice Agent: You guys don't have the proper clearance for any of this information, but I'm gonna throw you a bone. Cartels are operating here. We're on it. Be careful.
Mike Zavala: What does that mean, though?
Ice Agent: It means you and your homeboy need to power down. You just tugged on the tail of the snake and it's gonna turn around and bite you back. I'm throwing you a bone here. Be grateful for what I'm giving you. I'm giving you a warning. Lay low.
Brian Taylor: Can I get your name for my log?
Ice Agent: Negative. Move on.
Sarge: [at Taylor's wedding reception, Sarge, looking a bit drunk, is talking to a group of US Marines] My boy Garcia? He's a fucking beast, man. Right? I've seen this motherfucker knock an asshole out with one punch. Yoked assholes, man. Yoked assholes from the joint when they had weight piles. You know what I'm talking about? You don't know what I'm talking about, you're fucking twelve years old. Cops like him... Like soldiers. He took a bullet for me. My bullet, man. He took my bullet. He took my bullet. That's what he was. That's what he was to me. It should have been me, cause he was a good guy. I was shit. Fuck it, man.
Brian Taylor: Touch me and I will fucking shoot you. Stay where you are.
Mr. Tre: I don't give a fuck about both you motherfuckers. I'm ready to die today. Fuck ya'll.
Brian Taylor: This can go one of several ways right now. It is all about your attitude.
Mr. Tre: Fuck you! I got my mail. I helped him! I helped him give me my mail! I'm getting tired of this shit. I'm not playing with ya'll.
Mike Zavala: Sir, if you've been drinking you need to stay the fuck inside and not intimidate the mailman. That's it.
Mr. Tre: Fuck you! You need to shut the fuck up 'cause without that badge and gun, you ain't shit! You're less than motherfucking nothing. You motherfucking border-hopping, donkey riding Mexican motherfucker.
Mike Zavala: Oh yeah? IS that so? You want to find out what I'm about? Let's settle this right here like grown men, motherfucker.
Mr. Tre: What did you say? You wanna take a fade? You wanna fight me?
Mike Zavala: Why the fuck did you get married in your dress blues? If you worked at Best Buy would you wear that fucking stupid polo shirt?
Mike Zavala: What are we looking for, again?
Brian Taylor: All the food groups, man. Dope, money, and guns.
La La: Rest in piss, bitch.
Brian Taylor: Janet's pregnant.
Mike Zavala: What? Get out of here, bro. Are you serious? Already? She's not even Mexican.
Brian Taylor: Yeah, she's going for the ultrasound tomorrow but three of those little piss stick things.
Mike Zavala: EPT's, yeah.
Brian Taylor: Positive, positive, positive.
Mike Zavala: Whoa, dude. Congrats, bro. Congrats.
Mike Zavala: You should marry one of my cousins.
Brian Taylor: If they're anything like you, I wouldn't be able to stand a fucking hour with them.
[Zavala laughs]
Brian Taylor: This is the lifeblood of our organization. Paperwork.
La La: We should get them when they do to lunch at that Chinese place.
Big Evil: That Chinese place is crawling with cops. We gotta get these fuckers when they're alone.
La La: We can fucking follow their asses home and hit them there.
Big Evil: Mira, homegirl, white boy's in fucking Simi Valley. The other fucking fool's in San Gabriel. We gotta get these fuckers at the same time!
Demon: E, this is one time, homie. Not a bunch of fucking niggas.
Big Evil: Motherfucker! This fucker is straight from SHU, homeboy! You stop fucking around. You got in the car! You want to fucking hang with the fucking carnales, now you fucking pay the fucking price of fucking admission, homeboy. I'll fucking kill this fucking bitch, alright? You shut the fuck up.
Demon: Come on, E!
Big Evil: You get that shit out of my face! I'll fucking kill you, motherfucker! Don't you fucking disrespect.
Demon: Don't worry. I got this shit, man.
La La: This is fucking stupid. Those motherfuckers got bulletproof vests. We need to hit them with some AK's and shit.
Big Evil: Don't fucking rank out, La La!
La La: Fuck you! When the fuck have I ever backed out from shit, huh?
Big Evil: Get that fucking camera out of my face.
La La: I'm saying, we just can't fuck this shit up. I don't give a fuck, man. You know me. I'll do the motherfucking time. I just don't want the big homies fucking whacking me. Fucking whacking me for fucking up! We need a fucking plan. And you fucking know it, homie. Think about it. That's all I'm, saying.
Big Evil: Head back. I'll get some fucking big guns from the Border Brothers.
Mike Zavala: I hope they enjoy our police service!
Brian Taylor: Never fall asleep in a room full of cops!
Mike Zavala: What you doing?
Mr. Tre: Doing what I do, you know what I'm saying? Same shit, different day. Ain't shit changed. What's up with ya'll?
Mike Zavala: Just slow motion.
Mr. Tre: And that little incident you and I had? You kept it G. You didn't snitch on me and I respect that. So check this out, my people just got out of Folsom Prison. From up North.
Mike Zavala: Oh yeah?
Mr. Tre: Word is you got a hit on ya'll, man. Ya'll been greenlit.
Brian Taylor: Come on, man. We're cops. Everybody wants to kill us, Tre.
Mr. Tre: Hey, I'm just telling you what they're saying, man.
Mike Zavala: No, you know what? We appreciate the info, man, but this don't mean you get a pass if we catch you slipping.
Mr. Tre: I ain't looking for no fucking pass. I do what I do, you know what I'm saying?
Mike Zavala: I had to say it, though. You know how it is.
Brian Taylor: What you doing this weekend, Tre? You like the Dodgers?
Mr. Tre: You gonna slide a nigga some tickets or something?
Sarge: Taylor, why didn't you shoot that son of a bitch? You had him dead to rights.
Brian Taylor: I just didn't feel like killing anyone tonight, Sarge.
Sarge: You feel like writing this up? Brass is gonna want clean paper, make sure all the logs match.
Mike Zavala: Sarge, did you see that? Van H has a fucking Ginsu sticking out of his eye.
Sarge: His eye was cut in half. The lens was hanging out. He's not coming back. Rookie, too. She ain't coming back. She gave me this to give to the watch commander.
[holds up Sook's badge]
Mike Zavala: On the spot?
Sarge: Yeah.
Davis: Oh well. She wouldn't have made probation anyway.
Orozco: Hell no.
Sarge: What, because her daddy's not a captain?
Davis: You know she wasn't cut out for this shit.
Sarge: Why is that?
Davis: The evidence.
Orozco: She almost got Van Houser killed.
Sarge: You guys are cold, man. You got cold, dead eyes. You know that? Yeah both of you. You have a soul?
Davis: Yes, we just leave it at home.
Brian Taylor: Yo, we gonna sit around yapping or we gonna get this done?
Orozco: Dude, you guys saved that rookie's life. That was one big fucking fat ese.
Janet: [talking to Brian's camera] Brian, it's you! Hi. I'm gonna try not to wake you up. I can't believe that I stayed over.
[pulls gun from holster]
Janet: This, this is interesting. I have never shot one before. Maybe that could be our next date. I did go through your wallet. I'm sorry. I am naturally curious. I hope that's okay. Gotta love a guy who has a picture of his mom in his wallet.
[pulls out sheet of paper]
Janet: This? Yeah. Kristin, Mia, Raquel, etc. Um, you won't be needing this anymore.
[kisses camera lens]
Brian Taylor: We can't hold them off. We gotta lay down a base of fire and pivot.
Mike Zavala: What the fuck does that mean, dude?
Brian Taylor: We're shooting our way out of here, bro.
Mike Zavala: I think we killed that guy.
Brian Taylor: Good.
Orozco: [warning Taylor and Zavala about the tape recording] Listen, you know they can subpoena that shit if something goes sideways, right? Think twice.
Brian Taylor: Two words, 'erase button!'
Big Evil: That's when we fucking graduate. We fucking get the upgrade right now. Not fucking gonna be little fucking paisas no fucking more. Right? That's what we're gonna do.
Demon: I'm with you.
Big Evil: They want to come into our fucking hood and fucking talk shit to us? You fucking do this shit right.
La La: It's our fucking hood. They don't fucking disrespect us. Fuck yeah.
Big Evil: You guys want to fucking collect? You guys got to fucking put up. This time we're gonna do it right.
Wicked: Yeah, we're doing this.
Big Evil: Fucking guys have some fucking balls.
Demon: Hey E, after we get these motherfuckers, you know, it's gonna be a little hot in the hood, though. Right, La La?
Big Evil: We're gonna get the fuck out of here after that. I'm gonna fucking take you guys to fucking Vegas. You guys fucking do this shit right, I'm gonna treat you right. But if we don't fucking do this we can never fucking come back. That's the fucking thing.
Brian Taylor: That's what happens when you fuck with the police!
Mike Zavala: Just because I look like the dudes from Home Depot doesn't mean I do the shit that the Home Depot dudes do.
Brian Taylor: You feel like a hero?
Mike Zavala: No.
Brian Taylor: Yeah, me neither. What's a hero feel like?
Mike Zavala: I don't know, man. Did I tell you that me and Gabby got in a huge fight over the fire?
Brian Taylor: Nope, you didn't tell me that.
Mike Zavala: She was like, 'you could have died for someone else's kid when ours hasn't even been born yet.' She's like, 'you're not a fireman!'
Brian Taylor: Janet said the same thing. I don't think I could go into another burning building. I only went in because you did. Just put that shit out there.
Gabby: I like her, Brian.
Mike Zavala: Buddy!
Janet: How long have you known Brian?
Gabby: Three years. He and Mike went to the Academy together
Janet: Right.
Brian Taylor: Hey, is that Big Evil's mom right there?
Mike Zavala: Yeah, it is. That's Mrs. Evil.
Davis: Saddle up, ladies. We're sick of holding up your end.
Mike Zavala: Curbside's at it again, bro.
Brian Taylor: Curbside likes these vehicles because they blend in, you can put a lot of people in them, and this door slides back and the gang members open fire.
Van Hauser: Who is that?
Brian Taylor: Taylor and Zavala. Oh shit.
[Sees Van Houser's injury]
Van Hauser: Taylor, would you call for a rescue?
Brian Taylor: Do not move. What did he look like? Where did he go?
Van Hauser: Northbound through the houses. Hispanic male, blue checkered shirt. Zero-head, he's a parolee. He's fucking huge.
Brian Taylor: Dispatch, weapon used was a knife. KMA.
Van Hauser: Careful men. On your left. He's fucking huge.
Davis: X 25 shows Code 6 with X 13.
Orozco: You okay?
Brian Taylor: [on radio] 13 X-ray 13 show.
Mike Zavala: Transport this son of a bitch.
Davis: Yeah, no problem.
Mike Zavala: Check out this motherfucker's burner, bro. Dude he's got more bling than the old lady's wedding ring.
Brian Taylor: You don't have any holes in you?
Mike Zavala: I'm good, bro. Let's toss the truck.
Orozco: Hey, who was he shooting at?
Brian Taylor: What?
Orozco: Who was he shooting at?
Mike Zavala: Me.
Orozco: That's fucked up, man.
Brian Taylor: Not every call's a foot pursuit or a car chase. Some guys at other agencies have never even drawn their weapon or been in a gun fight.
Mike Zavala: Yeah, but here that's just half your shift.
Brian Taylor: In the South end, we'll get involved in more capers in one deployment period than most cops see their entire career.
Mike Zavala: Hell yeah.
Demon: Checkmate, puto.
Brian Taylor: How's you know you were gonna marry Gabby?
Mike Zavala: She told me. I was just some stoner working at my uncle's muffler shop and one day she grabbed me by the shoulders and says, 'we're getting married and you're joining the department because you can make a lot of money without a college degree.' And I was like, fuck yeah!
Brian Taylor: I mean, you love her. You guys like never fight. You're happy together.
Mike Zavala: She's my bitch for sure, dude. I'm just telling you the way it went down. I popped her cherry in high school. She's never been with anybody else. I've never wanted to be with anybody else. You know, it's easy.
Brian Taylor: Things are getting super serious with Janet and me.
Mike Zavala: What, you just found that out? You read that in the paper or something? Homegirl owns your ass, dude.
Brian Taylor: Dude, she wants to move in. She's always over, you know. Why spend the money on two apartments?
Mike Zavala: It's not about the money.
Brian Taylor: No, her parents are so traditional. They will go ballistic. But at least we can tell them we're engaged, you know.
Mike Zavala: Woah! Hold up, bro. Don't play with that shit. You don't ask a broad to marry you because her folks are old-school.
Brian Taylor: No, dude, you don't understand.
Mike Zavala: No, dude, you don't do that shit. Think about it, man. After you think about it, think about it again. Jesus. Marriage is forever. Just realize that. It's a promise before God.
Brian Taylor: This is my day job. Some of you might know me as Brian or Taylor, but here I am Police Officer 2 Brian Taylor. This is where the forces of good prepare to fight the forces of evil. This is my partner, Officer Zavala.
Mike Zavala: I'm on my chones, dude.
Brian Taylor: I know dude, come on.
Mike Zavala: I'm in my chones. No.
Brian Taylor: We work basic patrol here at Newton. One of the toughest divisions in the LAPD.
Mike Zavala: Shootin' Newton, baby, that's right. Lucky 13.
Brian Taylor: [showing off basic gear] This is a department-issue sidearm Glock 19. Spyderco tactical knife. This little thing can break windows, here. Two Smith & Wesson handcuffs. Can of OC spray. Pepper spray. Two extra mags.