In dystopian worlds, the police are often representatives of corrupt systems, and characters find themselves in trouble with them very quickly.
Five examples of "Could the police be called" in dystopian societies are:
- V for Vendetta: Evey was about to be sexually assaulted, but the assailants were officers. She could not likely call for the police, because the police were the abusers. She was out during curfew, and was at their mercy.
- Hunger Games: This series is a classic example of what can be a utopia for some, being a Dystopia for others. The upper class of District 1 would likely have no problem calling the police for their everyday needs. However, the lower districts were subject to many abuses, and would likely do everything they could to take care of things themselves.
- Minority Report: In this story, the police used "precogs" to predict murders. The world was deemed to be very safe. In most situations, you could call the police, and trust them to do what was needed. However, if your name came up through the "precogs," you would be in serious trouble, and would not be able to turn to them.
- The Running Man: Convicts must survive a game show execution. However, in some cases, they were wrongly convicted. They could not turn to traditional legal help to save them.
- Gattaca: This is a world where everyone's fate is set, and overall, the system is working. However, some people were faking their DNA identities in order to gain the lives they wanted. It was very risky, and they would avoid the police at all costs, as it could get them quickly discovered.
