Samuel L. Jackson is at it again. In his latest film, Lakeview Terrace, he again plays an intricate and frightening outlaw, just as he has in Pulp Fiction and other popular films. His new movie has a twist, though: this time, Jackson’s character is a police officer who intimidates and harasses his new neighbors, an interracial couple. While the idea of an outlaw is frightening, it also holds interest and appeal to the public-at-large. When the outlaw is a person in a trusted position of authority, it creates even more interest. Rogues in authority have the ability and desire to use their powers indiscriminately and punish at will. For some police officers, this indiscriminate use of power comes in the form of police brutality. The notion of police brutality captivates and terrifies the public. Police officers assume a position of high power in society in many ways. They are trusted to use their skill and judgment to subdue dangerous criminals, but not to harm them any more than is necessary to get them into the subdued state. It is a tremendous challenge for any human to regulate their emotions and actions in such volatile circumstances, but that is what police are asked to do. When they fail, the result is often a crossing of the line and the use of brutal conduct toward citizens. How does our own thinking affect police brutality? Do the notions held by police and the public shape or influence the forms police brutality takes? A review of criminal justice literature suggests that researchers are much concerned with these questions. My review focused on police brutality and group bias, the effect of police brutality on public opinion, and the code of silence used by many officers to protect others who have committed acts of brutality. Ultimately, these three topics are highly connected with each other and with notions of appropriate conduct by those in authority.