Blue Bloods (2010–…): Season 4, Episode 20 - Custody Battle - full transcript

I'm gonna see my little girl!

No!

You're not gonna get away
with this, Frannie! You're not!

You are not coming in. Christopher!
I'm... I'm...

We've got an audience.
Better call for backup.

12 David requesting 10-85.
No, no, not like this...

No emergency. We have a crowd at this location.
I want you to listen to me.

You're not gonna get away
with this, Frannie!

You're not coming in!
You're not...

Okay, okay.
All right, hey, hey! Excuse me.

Excuse me. Calm down. What's
going on? What's the problem?



I'm just trying
to see my daughter.

He's trying
to take her away from me.

No, I'm not!
You okay, Mommy? - Oh.

Alex, Alex, come to Daddy.
Come to Daddy.

Whoa. Whoa.
Come on, man.

Do me a favor. Back up.
Okay, tell me your name.

Christopher Collins.
I just want to talk to her.

Okay, talk to me.
Do-do you live here?

No, but I got rights.

Who has legal custody
of this child?

I do.

That doesn't mean
you can keep her from me.

She's my kid, too.
Okay.

What do
we got?



We got a domestic.

Maybe you can get
Mr. Collins' side

of the story, and
we'll talk to her.

Hey, I didn't do anything wrong!

We didn't
say you did.

I didn't do anything wrong.

We just want
to talk to you.

Okay, how did this all
get started?

It's no big deal, okay?

We can work this
out ourselves.

Get off me.
Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Would you just get off?!
Hey, calm down!

Hey, I didn't do anything

wrong, man!
What the hell are you doing?!

You're going in
for disorderly conduct.

I didn't do anything!

You're going in for
disorderly conduct.

What the hell are you doing, man?!
They're hurting Daddy.

It's okay. There is
no need for that. - Alex...

Please. This is
a private matter.

You made it a public matter

when you brought it
out on the street.

All you damn cops ever do
is make things worse.

We respond, diffuse
the situation,

and we're the bad guys?

Domestics are like
a box of chocolates.

You never know
what you're gonna get.

Yeah, I just feel bad
for that little girl.

Yeah, she didn't win the lottery
in the parent department.

Yeah. Know how
that feels.

Just got another letter
from my dad yesterday.

He never gives up.
Here you go.

Maybe you should
think about...

writing him back.

Trust me, that letter wouldn't
make it past the prison censors.

I need some help back here!

Call for a bus!
Hey, what the hell happened?

He had to take a leak.

I took his cuffs off,
next thing I know,

he took a swing at me.

Did he bang his head?

I-I don't know.

Maybe he's on something.
I finally got him to the ground.

Then I realized
he wasn't breathing.

Eddie, give me a time check.
Hey, Christopher, stay with me.

Come on, breathe.
Christopher, breathe!

Hey, stay with me.

Breathe. Chris,
breathe, Chris.

And put a rush
on that bus!

Yeah. I got it.

I want the UOR on my desk

before end of tour.

I understand,
and the M.E.'s cause of death

as soon as they can.

I'll expect
to hear from you, Dino.

What?

We got a death in custody.

12th precinct.

Christopher Collins, age 34.

We're gonna have
to hold a press conference.

I know that, Garrett.

Comes with the job.

That went surprisingly well.

Not my first rodeo.

You should learn to
take a compliment.

I'll put that
on my bucket list.

Commissioner?
As you were.

This press conference
is over, folks.

Thanks for your time.

Will Officer Cutter
be suspended?

Officer Cutter's been placed
on modified assignment

while this incident
is investigated.

But do you take it personally

when a citizen in custody
loses his life on your watch?

We stand proudly on
this department's record

of treating the public with
professionalism and respect.

Commissioner? Commissioner?
That said,

any loss of life is tragic.

Mr. Collins' death will be
fully investigated

by this department and
the district attorney's office.

What's your reaction
to the selection

of your daughter, Erin Reagan,

to lead the D.A.'s investigation
of this matter?

I have no comment on that.

What would you say to those

who will call this a glaring
conflict of interest?

My daughter is
an accomplished prosecutor.

And you feel she could be
objective about this, even when

her father's professional
reputation is at stake?

That is a question
that should be addressed to her.

Exactly.

But since

you so ridiculously asked me,

of course I think
she can be objective.

That's it, Helen.

- One more question.
- Commissioner?

♪ Blue Bloods 4x20 ♪
Custody Battle
Original Air Date on April 25, 2014

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man

♪

Did you see Mr. Collins
resist the officers?

He was upset.

But Christopher wasn't
a violent person.

I see that he was arrested
for assault three years ago?

That wasn't his fault.

Some drunk jerk
went after his brother in a bar,

and Chris stepped in.

I see.

Since you're obviously looking
to blame the victim here,

I'll save you some time.

I've been busted twice
for possession.

But I've been clean
for over a year.

And you and Mr. Collins
have a daughter?

Alex.

She's seven.

And you never married?

What difference does that make?

I'm not making any judgments.

I'm just trying
to get the facts.

The facts are,

me and Christopher
were having an argument

like people do.

Next thing I know, he's getting
thrown into a cop car.

Two hours later, I get
a phone call that he's dead.

Did Mr. Collins have any...

medical conditions--
asthma, heart problems?

You think he had a heart attack?

That crazy cop killed him.

Did anybody see what happened?

I have not interviewed
the officers yet,

but apparently
there were no eyewitnesses

to the actual incident.

Well, there's a shock.

A building full of cops,
and no one saw a damn thing?

I understand that you're upset.

If you just let

the investigation
take its course,

I assure you that...

I've been in the system
before, okay?

You guys work
with the cops every day.

We both know
what's gonna happen here.

How you holding up?

Had better days.

Talk to IAB?

Not yet.

Guy came at me, Jamie.

The hell was I supposed to do?

Thing is, I'm getting
interviewed, so...

can't talk about it.

Yeah. I get it.

You hang in there.

You know, my old man...

...thought I was crazy
when I took this job.

Said it was crazy

to put your life
on the line for peanuts.

Might not be wrong.

Looks like this
is gonna get ugly.

Yeah, I could use a beer.

Just one?

Doubtful. You in?

Oh, yeah.

Randy Cutter is
pretty shaken up.

Yeah. I've only talked
to him a couple times,

but everybody says
he's a really good cop.

Could have happened
to any of us in that bathroom.

Don't remind me.

I saw your dad.

His press conference
on the news.

He's in a tough spot.

He's used to it.

Crisis management's
a family tradition.

It was cool the way
he stood up for your sister.

Yeah, that reporter
got off easy.

When it comes to sticking up
for his kids,

my old man doesn't
take prisoners.

Must be nice to know
you can count on him.

Murderer!

Erin's here, sir.

Oh. Thank you, Baker. Hey.

Hi. I hope you're ready.

The reservation's at 7:30...
Oh, I canceled them.

Oh. Why?

Well, I thought we
could have dinner here.

Oh. Okay.

Look, I called an audible.

I don't think
it's a good idea

for you and me
to be out on the town.

You had nothing to do

with me being assigned
to this case.

I know, but...

sometimes the appearance
of a conflict can be worse

than the real thing.

So, we're just gonna
hide out up here?

No. We're having dinner in.

Okay by me.

I... will say

that finding out from a couple
of reporters was not ideal.

Yeah, I'm sorry about that, but
things were moving so fast.

Not like I haven't handled an
officer-involved case before.

Death in custody is
a whole different deal.

I understand.
I don't think you do.

See, the other guy
on trial here is me.

That's how this plays out.

With you in the middle...

Are you saying I should have
gotten your permission

before taking this case?

I'm just saying...

that your participation
complicates

an already difficult situation.

Yeah, and have you thought
that it works both ways?

Having you as a PC hasn't
made it exactly easy for me.

I know that.

But there are any number
of prosecutors

who could have handled
this case,

and there is only one PC.

Yeah, and the fact
that he is my father

isn't gonna stop me
from doing my job!

Thank you for your support
with the reporters today.

Excuse me.

Don't think I'm gonna be very
good company for dinner tonight.

Officer Cutter was on the job

in Nassau County for six years.

According to his evaluations,
Cutter was a model cop.

Yeah, and he and his partner
did volunteer

to be interviewed
this afternoon.

Nice digs.

Craig,

I didn't know they let you out
of the M.E.'s office.

Every now and then,
we walk among the living.

You got a second for me?

Yeah, sure. Richard.

I got the preliminary findings

on Christopher Collins'
cause of death.

Well, you could have
just e-mailed that to me.

Eh, for you I schlep,

especially since the case
is all over the front page.

Did the tox screen come back
with drugs in Collins' system?

Nope. Clean as a whistle.

Hmm.

Nice.

They don't have a picture of
this from the top of the bridge?

Craig. Cause of death.

Oh, yeah. Anoxic brain injury.

Does that come in English?

Christopher Collins sustained
pressure to the carotid artery--

cuts off oxygen to the brain,
resulting in respiratory arrest.

Are you saying Collins
was choked to death?

Yep. You got an old-fashioned
homicide on your hands.

I advised Officer Cutter. He has
no obligation to talk to you.

I-I know you got a job to do,
and I got nothing to hide.

Can you take me
through the incident?

My partner and I brought the
suspect into the precinct.

We stopped at the front desk,
I secured my weapon.

Then, on the way
to the cell area,

he says he needs
to use the bathroom.

Was Collins handcuffed
at this point?

Yes. But once we got inside,

I took 'em off
so he could relieve himself.

Everything was fine till I
tried to put the cuffs back on.

What happened?

I got one of the cuffs on,

and he complains
it's too tight.

He starts resisting.
The guy's strong as an ox.

Next thing I know,
we're going at it.

Did you call for help?

I tried. He had his hands

in my face, on my throat.

Did you have your hands
on his throat at any point?

Choke holds are
against department policy.

Was that a no?

Yeah.

Uh,

when I finally got control
of him, I called for my partner.

That's when I...

noticed Collins was unconscious.

At first I thought
he was faking.

You know?

And...

then I realized
he wasn't breathing.

Look, I'm... sick
about what happened, Ms. Reagan.

But if I didn't defend myself,

it would have been me dead
in that bathroom.

And where were you
when the incident occurred?

I went down the hall to run
the prisoner for warrants

while Officer Cutter
took him to the bathroom.

And when were you aware
that there was something wrong?

Uh, a couple minutes
after we split,

I heard Randy...

Officer Cutter, uh,
call for help.

I ran down the hallway.
When I entered the bathroom,

I saw Cutter on the floor with
the perp, who was unconscious.

At any point,
did you see Officer Cutter...

apply any kind of choke hold
on Mr. Collins?

No.

No, I didn't see anything
like that.

Sarge is looking for volunteers
to take an inmate back to prison

after he testifies downtown.
Sure.

Thanks, boss.
You got it, Reagan.

Uh, which prison?

I think he's from
Lincoln Correctional.

What?

Would you cut the crap?
Hmm?

You know my dad's
locked up over there.

Yeah, I remember
you told me that.

I know what you're trying to do.

I know you think you're helping.

You're not.

Look, you have to talk to him
at some point.

No. I don't think that I need
to talk to him at some point.

It's not gonna be
a tearful reunion, okay?

Not everyone comes
from a perfect family, Reagan.

Hey, trust me,
we have our moments.

You ever been betrayed
by the person

you trust most in the world?

You ever find out
that everything

you grew up believing was a lie?

No.

You know what?

If I need someone to fix my
life, I'm gonna call a shrink,

not a cop.

You're saying

that cop strangled Christopher?

His death has been ruled
a homicide.

However, it's still unclear
if Officer Cutter's use of force

was... justified.

Meaning he could still get away
with it.

Mommy?

Can I bring Gus?

Of course.

Say hi
to Ms. Reagan.

Hi.

Hi. I like your elephant.

Thank you.

She's beautiful.

Takes after
her father.

Chris, uh...

was, um...

a good person.

He wanted to get married. I...

I could never get
my act together.

What were you two arguing about
the day he died?

I told him I want to take Alex
to live in Chicago.

That's where my family's from.

So he was upset
you were leaving?

Alex was everything

to him.

I hate to admit it,
but he was a...

he was a much better parent
than me.

So when the police came

and tried to take him away,
he...

I guess he panicked.

The thought of being far
from Alex, it...

just... made him crazy.

And Christopher shouldn't
have acted up with that cop,

but...

...he didn't deserve to die
for loving his little girl.

Look at this
welcoming committee.

Thanks for coming in, Norm.
Oh. Yeah, anything for my old boss.

How's Long Island treating you?
Eh, good.

I get a lot more fishing in
than when I worked for you.

How you doing?
Hi, Chief, how are you?

Baker, I need a few minutes
undisturbed with the chief.

Yes, sir.

Take a load off.
Mm-hmm.

You still got that
old Boston Whaler?

Yep. Just put
a brand-new cooler in.

I like a man who's got
his priorities straight.

I wanted to talk to you
about Randy Cutter.

I figured that.
It's a hell of a situation.

He was under your command for
six years. What can you tell me?

Randy had a solid reputation.
Evaluations were excellent.

He certainly was
on the fast track to detective.

Why'd he leave?

Eh, a lot of guys out there, uh,

they think that the NYPD's
top of the line.

You guys pay more.

Eh, I guess he wanted
to know what it was like

to work in the big city.

Well...

now he knows.

Kara, thank you for meeting me.

My lawyer told me not
to talk to you again.

And yet here you are.

I met Christopher Collins'
daughter today.

How's she doing?

It's tough.

Her father was everything
to her.

When you and Officer Cutter
had arrived on the scene,

Collins had just learned
that his...

ex was moving their daughter
to Chicago.

You have kids?

Yeah. My son's three-and-a-half.

So you can imagine
how he was feeling.

That didn't give him the right
to resist arrest.

Or attack a cop.

No.

But I don't think
he deserved to die

for trying to keep
his family together.

When you've been a prosecutor
for a while,

you kind of get a sense when...

someone isn't telling you
everything they know.

I should go.

Did you see Officer Cutter

apply a choke hold to Collins
in that bathroom?

I've been riding with Randy
for over a year.

He's the best cop I know,
and he saved my life

on more than one occasion
so I can go home to my kid.

So, in other words,
you're willing to lie for him.

Because when
I call you

in front of that grand jury,
you will be under oath.

If you lie, it is a felony.

You do what you gotta do,

and I'll do the same.

This corned beef
is amazing, Grandpa.

Old family recipe.

Which your great-grandmother

guarded with her life.

Why was it such a big secret?

Grandma always
said a family is

held together by
its secrets.

We're held together by
corned beef and cabbage?

Well...

Yeah, and tradition.

Things that are passed on

from generation to generation.

Sounds like the NYPD.

How's that?

Well, the department's
like family,

and God knows they're good
at keeping secrets.

What are we talking about?

Everyone at this table
knows about

the NYPD's blue wall of silence.

Not me.

It's when cops protect each other,
no matter what.

It's more than that.

Yeah, like when a skel
tries to slug you

in the precinct bathroom,

whatever they get in return
for that, they deserve.

Exactly.

And if the only witness to that

is another cop,

then he has nothing
to worry about.

Oh, come on.

I assume you're
referring to Officer Walsh.

Kara's a good cop,

and it's possible
she didn't see anything.

You're toeing the company line
now, too, huh?

What's that supposed to mean?

It means that
your sister

thinks that all cops lie
to cover each other's butts.

Oh, she didn't say that.

Okay, I get that cops
need to protect themselves,

but there have to be
some regulations

as to how far
they can go, right?

- We have guidelines.
- That's right.

To protect cops and the public.

But no matter what the
regulations say, a cop

should never rat
on their partner. Ever.

So then the regulations
don't really mean much, right?

Smart kid.

What your father's saying
is that sometimes

the most important thing
is personal loyalty.

So husbands and wives
can't be forced to testify

against each other
or their kids.

That's a relief.

Don't be getting
any bright ideas.

That's fine,

but Cutter and Walsh
are not family.

They're partners.

All right, but when you're
out on the street,

the only person that can watch
your back is your partner.

And your life is in their hands.
So I don't know about you,

but that makes me feel
like it's a family.

But the law...

doesn't see it that way.

Maybe it should.

Why do we
have to leave so early?

I have to work...
I just want to leave.

Don't forget the dividends.

Corned beef makes
good leftovers?

Well, that's
the best thing about it.

You chop it up with some
potatoes and some onions,

you fry it up in a skillet, and
presto: corned beef hash.

I'll take this
to the car.

It sounds like you've
already made up your mind

about asking for an indictment
against my officer.

Your officer?

That's the way I see 'em.

I believe Randy Cutter is guilty

of criminally negligent
homicide.

And you have enough
to back that up?

Honestly, no. I wish I had more.

Well, I'm no lawyer,

but it looks to me like the case
against him's pretty flimsy.

Well, it wouldn't be

if his partner would admit
to what she saw.

Do you think it's fair to indict
a man for what you think is true

rather than what you can prove?

The point of the grand jury is
not to prove innocence or guilt.

I just want to convince them
to let me try the case.

I know the law.

I also know Christopher Collins
attacked Officer Cutter,

who was unarmed and outweighed
by a good 50 pounds.

Christopher Collins
was unarmed, too,

and "your officer" used
deadly force!

If it were me or Danny or Jamie,
we might've done the same thing.

I'm supposed to give Cutter
the benefit of the doubt?!

The man was defending himself!

Is that what the prosecutor
on the case is supposed to do,

or the commissioner's daughter?

You chose to make that
one and the same, Erin.

Christopher Collins was a father

who was facing
the loss of his daughter,

and he was scared and confused
and likely out of line,

but he did not deserve to die.

You really trust your gut
on this?

Yes.

Officer Cutter went too far...

and he needs to pay for it.

I'm just saying
she's got a job to do.

Dad doesn't?

I saw him last night.
He is not happy.

Why, what, did he say something?

Didn't have to say anything.

Erin's name came up
and he made that face.

Was it the I've-got-the weight-of-the-world
on-my-shoulders face

or the I-wish-
I-never-had-kids face?

Both faces. And you know what?
He's right.

She should've never taken
the case.

Well, maybe nobody noticed,

but Erin's a rising star
in the DA's office.

She might become the first
female Manhattan DA.

So what?
So, if her last name's Reagan,

she's gotta prove she's independent of
the NYPD and the PC.

All of our last names are Reagan

and we all got careers
to worry about,

but family comes first.

How's it going, Jamie?

Oh, hey, you guys.

Uh, this is my brother, Danny.

Hey.

Word is your sister's going
pretty hard after Cutter.

Can't talk about that.

He's a good cop.

She should cut
him some slack.

Hey, how about I buy
the next round, okay,

and you guys take it back
from where you came from?

Cutter was doing his job.

Your sister shouldn't sell him
out for a headline.

And you should shut your face.

I think you should take
my brother up on that beer.

Or we could
just take this outside.

Hey, come on.

Let's go.

Let me get this straight.

You're ready to throw down
with those two knuckleheads

even though they agree

with everything
you just said about Erin?

Reagan family rule number one:

Reagans can talk smack
all night long.

Outsiders talk smack,
there's gonna be a fight.

Way to get my back.

Glad to help.

Hey, Frank.

Morning, Norm.
I didn't think

you'd take me up
on that fishing trip so soon.

Yeah, well.

I was thinking about
what you told me,

about how Randy Cutter always
wanted to work for the NYPD.

Yeah, yeah. What about it?

Why did he wait six years
to make the move?

You'd have to ask him that.

I'm asking you.

Why would a solid cop
like Cutter--

close to making detective--

suddenly turn in his shield,
forfeit his seniority

and start from scratch
with another department?

You know, I always considered us
colleagues.

Friends, even,
in that "from work" kind of way.

You?

Yeah, sure.

There was an allegation
that went away

with a quick settlement
and a quiet resignation.

How did you know?

I didn't... till now.

What I told you about Cutter's
reputation, that was all true.

He was a good cop for us.

But it wasn't the whole truth,
was it, Norm?

Cutter and his partner collared
a couple of kids;

possession of narcotics.
No weapons.

One of 'em ran.
Cutter took off after him.

When his partner caught up,
the kid had a fractured skull.

I wanted him charged,

I wanted him tossed
off the force,

but the county executive,
he had other ideas.

It was an election year...

You let me hire
a ticking time bomb.

I'm sorry, Frank.

A day late
and a dollar short, Norm.

This goes public,
I won't cover for you.

You're on your own.

I used to walk this beat
back in the day.

As you were.

You mind if I tag along?

No, sir.

Been quite a week.

You doing okay?

Just trying
to get through it, I guess.

You do this job
on a razor's edge.

You protect people,
keep the peace,

and try to do it
the right way.

Yes, sir.
That goes for me...

and Randy.

But sometimes,
despite your best efforts,

things go wrong.

With all due respect, sir,

I already gave
my statement to IAB.

I read your statement,
Officer Walsh.

I'm not here to question it.

Used to be a Polish market
on that corner.

The stores change,
the faces change,

but the job we do here...

that stays the same.

Serve and protect.

The citizens and your partner.

Randy always had my back.

He made me a better cop.

Then you owe him for that.

But it does not excuse you
of the obligation

to enforce the law.

Collins attacked my partner
in that bathroom.

Randy had the right
to defend himself.

Yes, he did.

But if he went too far,

that's for a jury to decide.

My uncle was a sergeant
in the 3-8 for 30 years.

And he told me a cop who won't
put it all on the line

for his partner doesn't
deserve to wear the shield.

All due respect to your uncle,

it's the cop who breaks the law

doesn't deserve
to wear the shield.

Hey...

this thing with my dad
has been chewing at me

for a-a long time.

And I've tried everything
I can think of to get over it,

but I just can't.

I get that.

He did a really bad thing.

He ruined people's lives.

He ruined my family.

And he did a real job on you.

Yeah. When you...

when you believe in someone
completely

and they let you down...

it messes with you.

You start to question
your own judgment,

and it's like you...

it's like I can't trust myself.

It's like I can't trust anyone.

That's no way to live, Eddie.

I know.

That's why...

that's why today after tour,

I'm gonna, um...

I'm gonna go up there,
I'm gonna see my dad.

Good for you.

I-I know I don't have
the right to ask you this,

but I just was wondering if...

maybe you'd want
to go up there... with me?

Yeah.

I could do that.

We'll start by presenting
the timeline, and then I'll go

into the medical
examiner's report.

I'll have the slides
ready to go.

Great. And...

Can I talk to you for a second?

Yeah.

I'll meet you inside.

I owe you an apology.

No. No, you don't
owe me anything.

Except the truth.

You were right.

I didn't tell you
everything I saw.

I couldn't.

I know it's difficult.

When I heard Cutter
call for help,

I ran to the bathroom.

I saw Cutter and Collins
on the floor.

Cutter had Collins
around the neck.

Collins was turning blue.

Randy, let him go.

Randy.
I told Randy to let him go.

Get help.
But he didn't.

I mean, his motor
was going pretty good,

he was just locked in.

Go for help!

And he told me to go get help.

I should have stayed.

Maybe I could have stopped it.

No. What happened
is not your fault.

By the time I came back
with help,

Randy was giving him CPR, but...

by then it was too late.

It takes a lot of courage
to tell the truth.

Better late than never, I guess.

He didn't mean
to kill him, Ms. Reagan.

He just went too far.

You okay to go inside?

Eddie, you all right?

Starting to think that maybe
this wasn't such a hot idea.

Hey, it's gonna be okay.

Yeah, really?
Well, maybe you should go in,

'cause I'm gonna
go back to the car.

Hey. Hey. Eddie. Eddie.

You're doing
the right thing here.

It's just crazy.

He's...
You know, he's my father,

and I have absolutely no idea
what to say to him.

I think he
just wants to see you.

No. I think he wants me
to forgive him.

And I don't know
that I can do that.

You know, when we first started
working together,

I got to admit,
I had my doubts about you.

Say what?
Rich girl from the suburbs,

fancy car, four feet tall,

wiseass attitude.

Oh. Like you're God's gift
to the NYPD?

Then we got in a couple
tough spots together,

and you know what?

You really showed me something.

Yeah.

What?

No matter what goes down,
you never take a step back.

You're not afraid, Eddie.

Well, maybe I just
do a good job hiding it.

Either way, you,
you do what you got to do.

You can do this.

What the hell?

I left my gun back in my locker,

so it's not like I'm gonna
shoot the guy.

That's the spirit.

Thank you.

Yep.

Sir.

Officer Cutter's here.

Let's have him.

Thanks for coming in.
Please sit down.

Commissioner.

I understand you started a fund

for Christopher Collins'
daughter.

Thank you.

The least I could do.

If-if I could take back
what happened...

I know.

How do you think
the grand jury went?

Uh...

my lawyers advised me
not to testify.

I-I wanted to--

wanted to tell them
what really happened.

Well, looks like things are
working out for you.

I just got a heads up.

The grand jury declined
to indict you.

Thank you, sir.

They say a grand jury will
indict a ham sandwich, but...

when a police officer acts

in the line of duty,

suddenly they seem
to lose their appetite.

Well, I-I'm just...

grateful I can get back to work.

Not here.

Sir?

Oh. I'm sure there are PDs that
would consider you an asset.

But not this one.

Not while I'm
police commissioner.

Uh-- I don't understand.

I know what happened
out on Long Island.

That was an accident, sir.

The guy resisted arrest.

Like Christopher Collins?

You know, at a certain point,
it seems like it's your problem,

not their problem.

That's not fair.

Well, it is my job to decide
whether two bad incidents

in an otherwise stellar
seven-year career...

make you... an unlucky cop...

or a dangerous cop.

And I have to err
on the side of caution here.

Look, you walked a beat,
Commissioner.

You know what it's like
when your life's on the line.

We get paid to keep the peace

with restraint
and good judgment,

even...

...when our lives
are on the line.

Not everyone's built for it.

You are not built for it.

I defended myself.

With a choke hold
that is clearly not authorized

by this department.

Look, you-you can't do this.

All due respect, sir,
I want a hearing.

You're still on probation.

I can terminate you
anytime I choose.

Randy...

this job is not about
being strong enough

to use force.

It's about being
strong enough not to.

I'm sorry.

You're dismissed.

Didn't mean to barge in.

Well, security didn't call.

You must have some juice.

Most of the guys downstairs
used to work for me.

Well, you cops
do stick together.

I heard about the grand jury.

Well, I thought I was home free
once Officer Walsh came forward.

Thank you for that, by the way.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

I also got an anonymous tip
that Cutter had

cracked someone's skull open
in Long Island.

I suppose you don't know
anything about that, either.

Nope.

Cutter wouldn't take the stand,

so I didn't get his violent past
on the record.

What about
Officer Walsh's testimony?

It wasn't enough.

At the end of the day,
the jurors just saw a cop

defending himself
against a violent criminal.

Started out that way.

Yeah.

I just wish Cutter
knew when to stop

and I pray he doesn't
go out there

and do it all over again.

He won't.

Not here, anyway.

Hmm.

What happened to, uh,

giving him the
benefit of the doubt?

In this case,

it didn't benefit anybody
but him.

Look at you, all wised up.

When I found out you were
handling the case...

I reacted badly.

Well, I could have
given you a heads up.

You were doing your job.

I was only thinking of mine.

I'm sorry.

Thank you for that.

I could use a drink.

Join me?

Isn't that some kind of
conflict of interest?

Well, we could get
separate checks.

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man