Takes from so much else
Cop Mode is just a shinied up Chase HQ and that is nigh on twenty odd years old. The progression/reward system is Burnout. Seacrest County is the hilly bits of Paradise City.
Having said that, the game is massive fun and I haven't really got into the online racing aspect of it yet. The social side of it, with the integration of your friends list, is going to be pure crack as you get close or beat your friends times.