Original subtitles

Thank you.

You feel those memories come flooding back?

Like it was yesterday.

Damn shame is what it is.

A couple hundred recruits go through a year.

But he was one of the best of the best.

First here in the morning, last to go at night.

Tired, smart.

I know the type.

You were the type.

No, sir.

I just didn't know how much I didn't know.

Who does?

I appreciate you taking this investigation. No problem, sir. I'll get

recruit who found him.

Yes, sir.

Looks like you made an impression back in the day.

Well, it's not always a good one.

Recruit Officer Ortiz?

Sir.

Detective Stevens and Smith are conducting the preliminary investigation

this incident.

Give them your full cooperation.

Yes, sir. You can set up shop in there.

Call me if you need anything.

Thank you, sir.

Okay.

Let's talk in here.

Yes, sir.

At ease.

Recruit officer.

Okay, Teresa. We understand the protocol, but as long as it's just the

us, you can let your hair down.

Link, I'm sorry you guys had to find out like this.

I just didn't want anyone to know until I was sure.

Officer Turcott knew.

I told him I was thinking of applying, and he got me a recruitment card.

I just felt like the more people who knew, the more pressure there would be.

Okay, fair enough. Let's talk about the victim.

Recruit officer Dwight Baker.

So, what do you know?

He was smart, motivated, hard worker.

He would have made a great cop.

He in your squad?

Yeah. And friend of yours?

We were friendly.

Can you tell us about this morning?

First class is at 6. I came in at 4 .30 to work out. And Dwight, recruit officer

Baker, was lying at the bottom of the pool.

And we pulled him out.

We who?

Me and Carlos Ramirez. He's a civilian worker.

I know him. He's in the motor transport division.

I tried to perform CPR, but the victim was unresponsive because I couldn't get

air into him. His trachea was crushed.

So when you got here this morning, did you see anybody that you did not

recognize?

I mean, there were a few recruits working out in the guard at the kiosk

drove in. That was it.

You ever speak to the victim outside of the academy?

A couple of times.

Socially?

There's not much time for that, but yeah.

Were you intimate?

We ran together.

He was a great recruit. I looked up to him.

You didn't answer the question, Teresa.

Okay, Teresa, we got what we need for now.

Thanks.

I want to help with the investigation any way I can, all right?

Well, you have classes, right? Yeah.

Well, good. Then we'll know exactly where to find you if we need you.

Thanks.

Joel. I'll see you.

Teresa was right.

This was no accident.

See the bruising?

Carotid chokehold. Yeah, so it could be we're looking for a cop.

Or a recruit.

Yeah, well, they don't teach that chokehold in the academy anymore.

Yeah, but it doesn't mean they don't learn it.

All right.

We need files on recruits, DIs, and instructors.

Yeah, well, we'll check with the civilian staff, see if anyone's had

training. Yep. Speak to his friends, see if he had any beefs with anyone.

Yeah, and as long as we're talking to his friends.

Recruit Officer Teresa Ortiz.

What do you think about that?

I don't know.

Come on, man, don't shrug me off.

You're starting to sound like my wife.

Is there some reason you don't think she's fit to be a cop?

She's a great paramedic. Who knows if she'll be a good cop?

They're both about saving lives. Yeah, but sometimes we have to take lives.

Okay, dear.

Carlos.

Yeah, can I help you?

Detective Stevens.

This is my partner, Detective Smith.

Recruit Officer Stevens. Yes, sir. How you doing? Good. How are you? Good.

What's it been?

Six, seven years, huh? Eight years.

Wow. That's that quick to make detective, isn't it? Yeah, I got lucky.

So, Mr. Ramirez, we need to ask you some questions about Recruit Officer Baker.

Can you tell us what happened this morning?

Yeah, I punched in. I came out of this building. I heard Officer Ortiz call for

help. I jumped in the pool.

We pulled him out of the water, and it's too late.

So coming in, did you see anyone look or act suspicious?

No. Like I said, I just came in.

All right. Well, we're going to have to ask you not to talk about this case

until we finish our investigation, okay?

Sure. Yeah.

Okay.

Detective. Thanks.

Good to see you again. You too. Have a good day. Thanks.

Nice meeting you. You too.

Recruit officer?

Oh, come on.

How you doing? Hey, never better. Yourself?

I can't complain.

Oh, yeah? Since when?

Where you guys from?

Metro. Just booked some guns down at Property Division.

Stopped in for a little snack before Code 7.

Got to go.

I see you still got your Beretta.

Yeah, yeah.

Braden wants us to switch, but I'm old school.

I hear you. Same.

You guys be safe.

You too. So long. Bye -bye.

Nice guy. Yeah.

Hey, check it out.

Vehicular code 22450A.

Failure to stop at a posted stop sign.

Guy ahead of us. Fire tab.

No current registration.

Don't tell me you want to pull him over.

Look, we got bigger fish to fry.

All right?

Everybody down!

On the ground! Come on! Stay down!

Down! On the floor!

You guys, come around!

Come around! And I hope none of you are heroes because I shoot heroes. Get down!

Hands behind your back.

All right. Everybody's okay.

Everybody stay down.

Nobody's hurt, are we?

Check your back.

Okay.

Come on.

Cross your legs.

All right.

Who's in charge here?

I am. Clear him back. You are?

Sir, did you set off the silent alarm?

Yes, you did. Yes. Good. All right. Now listen. Somebody's going to be by here

in a couple minutes to take your statement. We're going to take this

We're going to book them right now.

Move it.

So, detectors are going to be here shortly.

You folks have a nice day.

I'm going to file a complaint with the city. You guys didn't read me my rights.

Woo! Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah,

baby.

What a pro.

Somebody trip a silent alarm?

I did.

What's going on here, sir?

Don't you police officers talk to each other? What do you mean, sir?

The son of a gun is already in custody. In custody with who, sir?

The two police officers that just left.

Control, 1 -849, give a unit to go code 6 to our location prior to our arrival.

Anyone hurt? Everyone all right?

1 -849, we advise you are the first unit on scene. All right, we're going to

need a description, sir.

He was wearing a ski mask.

I'll need a description of all three individuals, the police officers as

Why, is there a problem?

The team procedures, sir.

Well, one guy was 5 '8", regular built, dark hair,

flat top haircut.

He was the one doing most of the talking. The other one was maybe 5 '11",

strong, and he wore those wraparound sunglasses, you know?

Ooh,

hold up. I'm going to need to squeeze a few more hours of work out of you.

Sure, which case?

The fake cops.

They good fakes?

Good enough to fool some real cops.

Who'd they fool?

Heckler and Turcotte.

I should talk to them.

Whenever you like.

They've asked to work the case.

You sure it's the same two you saw at the coffee shop?

Absolutely. The description matches exactly.

Is there anything you can remember that might help us? Give us some traction

finding them? Anything at all?

No, it didn't register at first because they looked like cops.

How you doing? But the guy in the shades, when he first saw us, I got a

hostile head.

Off what?

His body language. Remember that?

When he first saw us... Well, that's the

position of defiance.

Right. But when he saw me clock that, he changed positions.

Well, ex -cons do it automatically.

It's a prison lineup move.

Yeah, but they usually shake that reflex after a few weeks on the street. Maybe

we're looking for a guy who just got out of the joint.

These are the Department of Corrections releases for the past three months.

Jeez. Wait, didn't you say your boy was white?

Yeah.

Age range?

35 to 40.

So many bad men.

So little time.

Oh, wait. Go back.

No. Call us to learn.

Stop.

Yeah. Yeah, that's him.

Frank Needham, 5254 Primwood.

Mr. Needham?

Hello? Is anyone home?

LAPD?

It's clear.

Look at this place.

It's worth back there.

There's months of unpaid bills here.

Some people just have no household management skills whatsoever.

Let's see what Mr. Needham's been watching.

It's a security tape from the jewelry store.

Possible suspect approaching the building.

That's it.

May 49, on purpose, heading southbound through the houses, coasting vocation.

No!

All right? Yeah.

Yeah, I'm glad to help out any way I can.

What are you talking about? What do you mean?

My partner showed me his badge. Said you guys were chasing someone, so I gave

him my car.

Uh -oh. Look at this.

Found something.

Nice work.

He didn't save any numbers. Nothing's in the memory.

We can get the call records from the carrier, but it's going to take a couple

hours.

What about the voicemail?

Well, we need a retrieval code.

Well, I didn't program any numbers in. Maybe you never personalized this code.

I know I never did.

What's the factory code?

The model number.

It's 1103.

How about this address?

We're in.

I was waiting outside McFarley's, and this is when we agreed to meet, but

not here, so where are you?

We were wondering about that patrol car, where they got it.

Could be it's real.

What do you mean?

McFarley's is a cop bar.

You do this every morning?

I laid out the course myself.

A perfect five -mile circuit.

Five miles?

This isn't going to be academic for long. We've got to be in shape to chase

guys.

I just got in when I heard your call, and I just left home five minutes

I'm sorry.

We were both too late.

Okay, Teresa, we got what we need for now.

Well, I want to help with the investigation any way I can. Thanks.

I know I'm not slowing down, so you must be getting faster.

I'm asking your title.

I'll just train harder.

Super recruit, huh?

That's me.

So why'd you join?

Because I'm one of those people who needs a challenge.

I always need to feel like I'm pushing myself to do the best job I can do.

Yeah, but there's more to that.

Too corny.

I won't laugh.

I was raised to believe you should try to leave things better than you found

them.

That's a police officer's job description.

People are in trouble. I want them to see me coming and feel it's going to be

okay.

So what's up with you and Doyle?

That's how you guys get into it the other day.

Misunderstanding? It looked like more than that to me.

It's not worth talking about.

But I appreciate the concern.

Well, if you change your mind, I'm around.

I'm going to hold you to that.

Recruit Officer Ortiz.

I'm here.

Yeah, is Fearless coming?

He'll be here in a minute.

Shouldn't you be in class?

Well, yeah, but I was working on a research project.

Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about joining up. You don't owe me an apology.

Well, you were just keeping your distance, and I was trying to respect

Okay, I'm here. So what do you have to share?

Well, there was some beef between Baker and a white recruit from B -Squad, and I

heard it might be racial, so I spent some time online.

The top post center is named Michael Doyle from Antelope Valley. I got it off

his skinhead website.

Is this the research project you're working on? Yeah.

Why don't you just give us his name?

I thought I'd say do the legwork. Yeah, but what if Doyle had heard what you

were up to and did some legwork of his own like took off? We asked you to let

do our jobs, Teresa.

Well, I thought it was a good lead. Yeah, it is.

We talked to Doyle a couple hours ago.

How do you know about him?

Doyle was on a list of recruits that showed up early this morning. Background

check turned up a juvenile misdemeanor for spray painting swastikas on the

of a Jewish cemetery.

The scar on his forearm looked like tattoo removal, so we confronted him.

what did he say?

Come on, you're a witness in this case.

We've already told you more than we should.

All you need to know is he's not a suspect.

This is just a guy who's looking to get a fresh start in life. That's it. Tracy,

you're going to be a cop someday, but you do not know the job yet. And this

of amateur police work you're doing?

You want to see justice served, stay out of our way.

Permission to leave?

Permission granted.

On duty?

Yeah. Sold his milk or coffee?

Have you seen this guy around?

I don't know.

Maybe.

He's not a regular.

How about a Wally something?

5 '8", 170, dark hair with a flat top.

Flat top, huh?

5 '8", 170.

A cop named Wally.

A real cop wannabe, though. I haven't seen him for a while.

You know, he might be up on the board.

He played in the dark tournament last month, and I think...

Can you come in a second?

No, third.

He came in third.

That's him.

That guy's got red hair.

No, the guy standing behind him.

That's Wally.

Bitch! You don't know how good you got it!

You go to hell!

I hope they throw away the key this time!

You've got a hard lesson coming.

I get out, I'm gonna kick your ass!

And I'll do worse than that grass!

How you doing, son?

You tried to protect your mom, didn't you?

Well, you're a brave boy.

You grow up big and strong, and you come and see us, okay?

We can always use guys like you.

Wally?

Wally, it's Hayes.

The letter from the police department.

Just like before.

They got too many qualified applicants.

Maybe next time.

First you don't succeed.

Yeah, that's right, Mom.

You know what? I'm wearing them down.

Why aren't you a cop then?

Hey, I do great on the physical test. But the written test, man, it's

ridiculous. Let me tell you something.

There's some cops out there, they never passed it. But probably their dads were

cops or something. I don't know.

It's unfair.

Sounds to me like you know more about cops than most cops.

Yeah, you got that straight.

No.

No way.

No way.

You get to wear a real uniform with a real badge.

You think I'm so pathetic that would impress me?

I don't know. You've been trying to get into the police academy for what, six,

seven years?

Nine. Nine years.

You don't think that's pathetic?

I hate to break it to you, Wally, but they're not going to make you a cop.

don't need you. They don't want you. They're filling quotas. You're wrong.

If you believed that, you wouldn't still be talking to me.

You'd be ratting me out with your cop buddies.

Do you love your mother?

Of course I love my mother.

Can't support her with seven bucks an hour working security guard. She...

paying the price for your dreams.

Get down on the floor.

Check the valve.

All right.

Detectives are going to be here shortly. Clear him back. Let's go. You folks

have a nice day.

Can I drive this time?

Wally, you're too important riding shotgun, all right?

Hey, hey, turn that off.

Come on.

Sorry.

What's the matter? My cell phone. You see it in there?

Nope. Nope. I need to go back to my house and get it. Give me your keys.

Just wait here with Wally for an hour and meet me at 26 and 5.

You sure you don't want it to come with you?

No, I don't.

Hey, show Eddie how to play cop. That's what you can do.

Oh, and for God's sake, stay out of trouble. Okay. Right?

One hour.

One hour.

Got it.

Stand up straight.

Yeah, that's it. You want to make sure your buttons are aligned with your

buckle. It's all about presence, okay?

Hey, where you going? I need a pack of smokes.

24603D, inoperable brake lamp.

Did you know one of your brake lamps is... Hey.

but he was a pretty quiet guy.

Not a loud one.

Recruit Officer Ortiz.

What are you doing here?

Just went for a run.

I'm having a hard time keeping my mind on my work.

Yeah.

Me too. I'm going to finish this up and go home.

You and Baker were friends, right?

Yeah.

I used to see you guys always run up and down here.

Yeah, he had this whole course laid out.

Working on a unit this morning when he came on through.

Yeah, he used to tell us that we had to stay in shape to face those bad guys.

Yeah.

Listen, I got to get back to work here, so you take care, okay?

Mm -hmm. You too.

Okay.

Working on a unit this morning when he came on through.

Something's bothering me, Carlos.

This morning you said you got to the academy just before you heard me call

help.

Then this afternoon you told me that you saw Baker down by the motor pool

earlier. So why'd you lie to me?

You know, confession's not enough, Carla.

If you know something about Baker's death, you can't keep that between you

God. You gotta help set it right.

Needham came to me.

He said he had a friend who was making an independent movie and they just

a car.

24 hours.

And these cars, they just sit out here. So I said to myself, you know, I could

make a couple extra bucks.

So what happened this morning?

I was giving him the car and I didn't think anybody would see us sit that out.

Sir, why are you in this car?

Go to hell.

Hey! Get your hands off me! Officer, Recruit Officer Baker.

Everything's okay.

Carlos, who is this guy?

I'm just sending the unit in for a break. I have more than I can do here.

Yeah?

Yeah. No problem.

All right. All right.

Who was that?

It's just one of the Recruit Officers. Just don't worry about her, okay? I'm

worried. Just try to stay with me, all right? All right.

The next thing I knew, Ortiz was calling for help.

I killed

him.

No, you didn't.

But you can help us find the person who did it.

Now, why did Needham want the car?

Because there was no movie.

Okay, you don't kill somebody because you saw them borrowing a car for a

I heard it on the radio, but fake cops. And you think this was them?

Why?

Because Needham wanted a technical advisor, so I put him together with a

knew everything about being a cop, but wasn't. Does the guy have a name?

Yeah.

Wally.

I think it's Pollard. Yeah, that's it.

Wally Pollard.

Only Wally Wally.

What were you doing?

That's the guy, Jeffrey Goss. Harry Southbeck.

How's Mrs. Goss?

She's alive.

But she doesn't believe she would be if Wally hadn't confronted her ex -husband.

Detective Pierce.

What'd you get?

We ran Wally's prints.

No match.

Guy's never had a criminal record.

I got to thinking he's a one of you, right?

Maybe he worked for the department before, some other capacity.

Civilian volunteer, something like that. We checked department records.

Pierce.

What?

Hang on.

Long story short, we got a match.

Turns out, Wally, my... Pollard.

Yeah.

Detective Smith just told me.

Okay, how does he know that?

We wondered about the cop car, where he got it.

It's real.

It came from the academy.

Smith. Yeah.

Mrs. Pollard, there's no such thing. We don't have any emergency credential

police officers.

Wally wouldn't lie to me.

Detectives?

Got a minute?

We'll be right back, ma 'am.

And there's a pile of rejections from the police academy.

And he had a string of security jobs.

Guy's a classic wannabe.

Poor woman thinks her son's a hero.

Yeah, well, we need to know what the next move is going to be.

Well, how about Allied Coastal Credit?

Well, I kept a log.

There are dates, times for the jewelry store,

check cashing business they hit. We got a list, uh, chaplain savings and loans,

4 o 'clock. Citizens mutual fidelity, 420.

Branch credit union, 435.

And a couple big retail stores, one right after the other. You know, I can

believe they were going to hit one or two, but even wearing cop uniforms,

there's no way that they can just go in on schedule picking up money.

Yeah, but maybe that's not their schedule. Maybe that's their target,

car pickup. Well, what's the first time? 4 p .m. Well, that's 45 minutes from

now. Let's roll.

LAPD. We just got kicked off that a terrorist hit an explosive device inside

of those bags you're carrying.

Bomb squad, FDI are en route.

Meantime, we got to get your people into the building.

Are you sure about this? The way things are today, we treat everything as

credible until proven otherwise.

Let's go. Come on.

Post, Pacino, we got a bomb threat. Let's go. When you get inside, move away

from the wall. This thing blows.

We don't know how big it's going to be. Let's go. Let's go.

You want me to back up the car? No, we're going to take the truck. What?

A lot.

Potential units, we have a code red at AT35 at Sturgis Supermarket, 110 and

Bendix. That's us.

Truck has been seen headed eastbound on 110.

That's good, because we're headed south on Bendix.

What are we going to do?

Get out!

Down! Turn around and face me!

Put your hands in the air.

Drop to your knees.

On the ground, now!

The hands behind your back.

What's the matter?

You didn't notice an unmarked car pull in front of you?

Huh?

Well, Wally would have seen it.

You shouldn't have followed Carlos to the church.

I know.

But were you thinking about that when you saw that car theft in progress?

We all know the story, Joel.

You were squad leader, right? And you ran ahead on intersection duty.

That story's been exaggerated.

Yeah? I heard you had the suspect on the ground and immobilized before you even

realized it was a field simulation.

You were about to handcuff a D .I. from the academy.

That was completely different.

Why?

Because I was an idiot, and you're not.

Look, I just came to tell you that I'm sorry about your friend Baker.

And I know that what happened between the two of you is none of my business.

Well, I think you would have liked him.

What are you doing here, Teresa?

Why do you want to be a cop?

Maybe because some of the best people I know are cops.

Well, you definitely got the instinct for it.

We learned that today.

I'll just... I have to get used to thinking about you in a different way.

Of

course

I miss him.

But I can't help feel it's all right somehow.

He saved a woman's life.

And he died doing what he loved most.

Yeah.

I'm sorry that the ongoing investigation makes it impossible for the department

to recognize your son's contribution.

But a lot of us felt that it was important that you have this.

It's a departmental flag for his casket.

How'd it go?

You think cops are heroes?

I don't know, I'm not.