Weekend Buff

The Fugitive (1993)

When I was with the NYPD, I always wanted to get into the Warrant Division. I always like hunting down perps and making collars. I got a taste while working in the 40^th Precinct Robbery Apprehension Module, where we would often go after our own wanted persons. It’s fun and exciting – better than signing off on a stack of DD5s from detectives of sometimes questionable literary ability.

The only problem with working in the Warrant Squad was the hours. Starting your tours at 3 or 4 am is not for me. Midnights – no problem. Waking up that early just throws me off.

The federal equivalent of the NYPD Warrant Division is the US Marshals Service. They do more than hunt down wanted persons, but that is what they are most known for. And they are good at it. The NYPD works with the Marshals in the Regional Fugitive Task Force. When you get an ID on a big case, that Task Force is often getting the job of finding your guy. I don’t recall them ever failing on a case I was involved with.

Hollywood’s take on the US Marshals Service is highlighted in the 1993 movie, The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford. Ford’s name sold tickets for this film, but it was the actors portraying US Marshals that made it a success.

The film is based on the 1960’s television show by the same name. That show was loosely based on the real-life story of Doctor Sam Sheppard, an Ohio doctor who was arrested for killing his pregnant wife in 1954. In a sensational trial highlighted by a circus of biased media attention, Shepard was found guilty and sentenced to prison. F Lee Bailey took up an appeal, and after serving 10 years in jail, Sheppard was acquitted at a re-trial. Interestingly, Sheppard went on to a successful professional wrestling career under the unfortunate moniker, “Killer” Sam Shepard.

But I digress. The Fugitive was a box office hit with Ford playing Dr. Richard Kimble, a stand-in for Dr. Sheppard. Ford gave his typical excellent performance. He was supported by Tommy Lee Jones, who played a Supervisory Deputy US Marshal. Jones steals the show in this movie, in his deadpan and profession depiction of Marshal Sam Gerard. His team consists of Marshal Cosmo Renfro, played by Joe Pantoliano, Marshal Robert Biggs played by Daniel Roebuck, Marshall Noah Newman, played by Tom Wood, and Marshal Erin Poole, played by L. Scott Caldwell.

Early in the movie, Dr. Kimble is arrested for the murder of his wife. A Chicago jury convicts him, and he is sentenced to death. While being transported, his fellow inmates attempt to escape, and Kimble finds himself on the run, with the Marshals tasked with hunting him down.

Sam Gerard assembles his team and puts together an apprehension plan. The movie has a realistic feel. The Marshals use typical investigative techniques and combine them with some ingenuity, a necessary aspect of any unusual case. Kimble has no phone, no money, no credit cards, and few resources. That is a tough man to track down.

Perhaps the most iconic moment of the film is when Gerard and Kimble come face to face. Kimble protests his innocent, and Gerard responds with a simple, “I don’t care”. And that is the crux of the job of the Marshals and NYPD Warrants Detectives. They are not there to judge guilt or innocence, make a viable case, or preserve evidence – they are just there to get their man and bring him to court.

Just like the Honey Badger, Tommy Lee Jones doesn’t care

From a cop’s perspective, The Fugitive works because it understands that law enforcement is not usually about heroics, it’s about executing the mission. It’s about showing up, doing the job, and trusting the process, even when the outcome isn’t immediately clear.

The Fugitive runs a little over 2 hours, and it is full of action. I couldn’t find it streaming for free anywhere, you will have to pay the usual $4 on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. Enjoy this investigative thriller, where the real killer may still be out there.

Thanks for reading The Ops Desk. Stay Safe!