Cedric Daniels quotes from The Wire

Daniels

[leaving Burrell's office] Dope on the damn table.

Daniels

[To Carver] Couple weeks from now, you're gonna be in some district somewhere with 11 or 12 uniforms looking to you for everything. And some of them are gonna be good police. Some of them are gonna be young and stupid. A few are gonna be pieces of shit. But all of them will take their cue from you. You show loyalty, they learn loyalty. You show them it's about the work, it'll be about the work. You show them some other kinda game, then that's the game they'll play. I came on in the Eastern, and there was a piece-of-shit lieutenant hoping to be a captain, piece-of-shit sergeants hoping to be lieutenants. Pretty soon we had piece-of-shit patrolmen trying to figure the job for themselves. And some of what happens then is hard as hell to live down. Comes a day you're gonna have to decide whether it's about you or about the work.

Daniels

Detective McNulty,... when the cuffs go on Stringer you need to find a new home. You're done in this unit.

Daniels

Detective Freamon, you have carte blanche in picking your squad. In fact, you can pick your supervisor, for all I care. Motherfucker, as far as I'm concerned, you are the Major Crimes Unit. It's morning in Baltimore, Lester. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Daniels

So, one thieving politician trumps twenty-two bodies? Good to know.

Daniels

I'll swallow a lie when I have to; I've swallowed a few big ones lately. But the stat games? That lie? It's what ruined this department. Shining up shit and calling it gold so majors become colonels and mayors become governors. Pretending to do policework while one generation fucking trains the next how not to do the job. And then-[catches himself, and sighs] I looked Carcetti in the eye, I shook his hand, I asked him if he was for real. Well, this is the lie I can't live with.

Daniels

Motherfucker, why didn't you call in sick?

McNulty

I'm not sick.

Daniels

Yeah, you are. Write me up a 95 on why you are physically unable to participate in today's activities.

McNulty

You want me to lie so you can save face?

Daniels

Go on. "I can't jump off with the rest of my unit because my tummy hurts."

McNulty

I'm not going.

Daniels

You're insubordinate?

McNulty

I'm not jumping out on something I believe's going to harm the case. You want to write me up on that, you can.

Daniels

You think I want this? I got the Deputy Ops on my ass for this shit! Now I got you showing me up in front of the whole damn detail!

McNulty

I don't mean to show anyone up.

Daniels

Get your vest on.

McNulty

No. I've got police work to do.

Daniels

Motherfucker, if you felt this way, why didn't you call in sick?

McNulty

I'm not sick.

Daniels

Yeah, you are. Write me up a 95 on why you are physically unable to participate in today's activities.

McNulty

You want me to lie so you can save face?

Daniels

Go on. "I can't jump off with the rest of my unit because my tummy hurts."

Daniels

Major, I'm asking as a favor.

Rawls

As a favor?

Daniels

Yes, sir. A favor.

Rawls

In that case... no!

Daniels

The murder warrant's on hold. The deputy gave us another month. Also, whoever that was you brought in here today gave himself up as an eyewitness in the Gant murder.

McNulty

Who, Omar?

Daniels

And Greggs said to tell you she'd write it up in the morning.

McNulty

Lieutenant - thanks.

Freamon

It cost you?

McNulty

Hey, what the fuck? Let me guess, the Deputy? How's he got onto this so quick?

Daniels

I told him.

McNulty

You told him? Why would you be fucking telling him?

Daniels

He's the Deputy for Operations, and I just jacked up an aide to a state senator. How do I not tell him?

McNulty

Yeah, Lieutenant, if you've noticed, there hasn't been a complaint so far from the senator. And you know why? Because what the fuck is his driver doing coming out of the high-rises carrying that kind of money?

Daniels

That's what I told the Deputy.

McNulty

Yeah, and what did he say? We should mind our own business? Fucking give the man back his money and go the fuck away?

Daniels

Pretty much. Except he said a few things for my benefit, too. Like how I had shit all over him. Like how he was shutting us down at the end of this week.

McNulty

The fuck he is.

Daniels

We're done. I go past Friday, and I'm buried. He told me that.

McNulty

He's gonna bury you? For what? You're doing your fucking job.

Daniels

You think the job is going to save me? You think it's going to save you? Chain of command, Detective. That's all I got from the Deputy today.

McNulty

Chain of command? Well, did you tell your major about the senator's driver? Did you tell the Colonel? No? Then where's your fucking chain of command?! What's the shift lieutenant doing going up the back stairs to the Deputy Ops?!

Daniels

What are you saying?

McNulty

Nothing.

Daniels

Goddamn right.

McNulty

Why, he got something on you? You say you got the Deputy's ear. What the fuck's he got on you?

Daniels

Only rank, Detective.

Clay Davis

Erv, will you explain to this motherfucker just what the fuck it is he's doing here?

Burrell

Lieutenant Dan-...

Daniels

[interrupting] Excuse me, sir, but it's pretty basic. If the senator isn't involved in anything illegal, then he doesn't need to worry. I can't be any clearer than that.

Clay Davis

Fool, what do you think? That we know anything about who gives money? That we give a damn about who they are or what they want? We have no way of running down them or their stories. We don't care. We just cash the damn cheques, count the votes and move on.

Daniels

[stands] Anything else, Deputy Burrell? [leaves]

Burrell

You came into a lot of money quick. You can go to jail just as quick if I start asking the right questions. This case ends, or you are done. Hell, I don't even need you to lock up Barksdale. I can have your major debrief the detectives and type the warrants himself. This case is done.

Daniels

You do what you feel. You wanna pull Avon in on half a case, you go ahead. You wanna put my shit in the street, feel free. But the Eastern had a lot of stories - mine ain't the only one. A lot of people came through that district. If you were gonna do me, I'd already be done. But there ain't nothin' you fear more than a bad headline, is there? You'd rather live in shit than let the world see you work a shovel. You can order warrants, and I'll serve 'em. But as long as I have days left on those dead wires, this case goes on.

Rawls

Do you even know what this detail's about Lieutenant?

Daniels

Some kinda beef that Valchek has.

Rawls

Two fuckin' Polacks pissin' on each other's leg.

Daniels

Where are the detectives who were first assigned?

Valchek

Dead. To me, anyway. I shipped them humps back to Burrell as fast as I could.