I served 20 years during the 70's and 80's as a Police Officer in a town of 60,000 during the time of the Andy Griffen show. But even today good Police Officers are often called "Barney Fifes" as demeaning remark, if he is a little bit excentric or maybe even cautious, whether Barney was fictiional or not. You still see the Pictures of Deputy Barney Fife standing in his pose loading his "ONE" Bullet.

Why only One Bullet? Because "Andy" ready didn't trust "Barney" to do the right thing. He was always afraid that Barney would overreact, which he usually would. Southern Police officers and Deputies are often portrayed as being bumbling and inept. "Barney Fife", "Smokey and the Bandit", you get the picture, But Barney's charactor went for 20 years, unlike good professional Police programs of the time like "Dragnet" and "Adam 12". No Police Officer wants to use his weapon, but he would also be crazy to carry only "ONE" bullet and that in his shirt pocket.

Most people get their impressions of life from TV, and Movies rather than from factual information. Even Police Chiefs, Mayors, and adminstrators who are political people that are sensitive to public preceptions.