Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (released in theaters on April 3, 1987) finds Commandant Lassard attempting to bridge the gap between the police force and the community by creating a volunteer program known as “Citizens on Patrol,” or C.O.P.
The plot follows the original band of misfit officers including the charismatic Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), the towering Hightower (Bubba Smith), the vocal wizard Jones (Michael Winslow) and the gun-obsessed Tackleberry (David Graf) as they return to the academy to train a new group of eccentric civilians.
Among the new recruits is a rebellious skateboarder played by a young David Spade and a tough-as-nails senior citizen, while Sharon Stone joins the cast as a reporter documenting the program’s progress.
Naturally, the program faces heavy opposition from the arrogant Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) and his sycophantic sidekick Proctor, who are determined to see the initiative fail.
Adding to the chaos is Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait), the former gang leader turned soft-hearted officer, whose unpredictable energy and budding romance with a fellow recruit provide much of the film’s slapstick friction.
As the untrained volunteers are thrust into the field, they must overcome their various ineptitudes to thwart a massive jailbreak, eventually proving that ordinary citizens can indeed make a difference when backed by the academy’s unique brand of law enforcement.
The film operates as a quintessential 1980s ensemble comedy, leaning heavily into the established strengths of its recurring cast while injecting fresh energy through its diverse group of recruits.
Guttenberg delivers his final performance as Mahoney with the effortless charm that defined the early franchise, serving as the perfect straight man to the escalating absurdity around him.
Winslow once again dazzles with his unparalleled sound-effect mastery, and Goldthwait’s unique brand of high-decibel comedy remains a standout element of the film’s frantic pacing.
Randall “Tex” Cobb, Colleen Camp, George Gaynes, Leslie Easterbrook, Brian Backer, Tab Thacker, Corinne Bohrer and Billie Bird round out the cast.
This film is the sequel to Police Academy 3: Back in Training (released on March 21, 1986) and Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach would follow on March 18, 1988.
Steve Guttenberg and Sharon Stone in Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol grossed $8.5 million on its opening weekend, finishing No. 1 at the box office, topping Blind Date ($5.7 million), Platoon ($4.7 million) and Lethal Weapon ($4.1 million).
The film would gross $28.1 million in its theatrical run.
Guttenberg’s final appearance in the Police Academy series.
Legacy
The legacy of this 1987 sequel is rooted in its status as the peak of the franchise’s commercial popularity and its role as a cultural time capsule for late-eighties comedy.
It is widely remembered for its vibrant skateboarding sequences featuring a young Tony Hawk and for providing early career exposure to future stars like Stone and Spade.
While it embraced the broad, slapstick humor that became the series’ hallmark, the film also captured the era’s fascination with community-based initiatives, albeit through a lens of pure cinematic exaggeration.
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol remains a nostalgic favorite for those who grew up with the Saturday morning cartoon and toy lines that the franchise inspired, standing as a testament to the enduring appeal of the underdog ensemble movie.
