All of us are now more or less acquainted with the Rampart Division police scandal of the Los Angeles Police Department – all thanks to the television drama series, The Shield. The show has gained a lot of acclaim and is popular for its depiction of corrupt police officers, all of whom are amalgams of vice and virtue.

With the fictional Farmington district of Los Angeles, shortened as "The Farm" serving as the backdrop, the series shows the way, an experimental division of the Los Angeles Police Department functions. A four-man anti-gang unit serves as the veiled and fictional counterpart of the real Rampart Division CRASH unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. These four quasi-heroes, as you can watch them on the show, make sure that they never leave their beloved city unguarded, thereby serving as the pivot of The Shield. This "Strike Team", as the tetrahedral group is called, is responsible for maintaining peace on the streets of Los Angeles. You can always catch the operations of the Strike Team, when you watch The Shield episodes online.

As the place from where all the operations emanate, the Strike Team uses a converted church, called "The Barn". The Shield is known for its controversial portrayal of the debauched police officers, all of which you can again cherish by catching the show’s episodes, online. The show has actor Michael Chiklis, playing the role of Detective Vic Mackey as the leader of the Strike Team. The show, apart from its main theme of the Strike Team bringing their version of justice to the city, has several subplots as well. There are interesting storylines running through each episode along with the Strike Team’s attempts to maintain peace on the streets. The show comprises an ensemble cast and you should watch The Shield to catch all its exciting stories.

The usual illegal and unethical methods that the Strike Team uses to deliver justice, has landed the show into many controversies. The fact that the Strike Team is loosely based upon an actual unit of the Los Angeles Police Department has always kept viewers hankering for more of The Shield. You can watch The Shield episodes online to see the way, Vic Mackey’s team functions.

There have been occasional attempts to increase the number of members of the Strike Team, all of which have led to almost catastrophic results. The show has as its common themes, the distrust of the citizens in the methods of their pseudo-messianic protectors. Along with this, the conflicting issues of ethics and political expediency are some of the undercurrents that run through the show. But as is the matter with all of us – the members of The Strike Team are all shades of grey - neither angelic nor diabolical.