About

Rookie deputy John 'JJ' Johnson (Michael Boatman) is the first Black cop at his Los Angeles Sheriff's Department station. Immediately met with hostility by his fellow officers, he forges a friendship with the similarly ostracised Deputy Deborah Fields (Lori Petty) as they try to strive a new path for the force. However, when young Black man Teddy Woods (Ice Cube) is dubiously accused of the murder of the influential Mr Greenspan (Elliott Gould), the two sheriffs start to feel the limits of reform from within.

Based on real events, The Glass Shield marked Charles Burnett's first foray into more mainstream cinema. Despite its comparatively large budget and the presence of well-known Hollywood faces in its cast, the film remains a forthright and bold examination of Los Angeles policing in the aftermath of Rodney King, while still operating as an engrossing dramatic thriller.

M | Adult themes