Gotham City Police Department

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Gotham City Police Department

Cover to Gotham Central #1. Art by Michael Lark.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
Created by Bob Kane
In story information
Type of organization Law enforcement agency
Base(s) Gotham City
Leader(s) James Gordon (Police Commissioner)
Maggie Sawyer
Agent(s) Harvey Bullock
Major Crimes Unit

The Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) is a fictional police department servicing the city of Gotham City in the DC Universe.

Contents

[edit] History of GCPD

Acting as both ally and opponent of Batman, the superhero long-established in Gotham, the GCPD has long been steeped in corruption, with numerous officers both high-and-low ranking involved in bribery and even more serious offences such as drug-trafficking and murder.

The strongest blow against police corruption came when an increasing amount of conspiracy charges against Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb forced him to resign his position. The Falcone crime family, which had had a stranglehold on Gotham's underground for generations, finally crumbled when a series of killings shook the structure of the mafia organization. After the death of Carmine Falcone, the mob lashed out in sloppy, retaliatory crimes, which, in combination with rising gang violence, severely crippled organized crime in Gotham City. Simultaneously, the ebbing presence of corrupt police officers allowed James Gordon to become the new commissioner, a man determined to eradicate crime wherever it existed.

The GCPD has had a long love-hate relationship with the city's vigilante known as Batman. Commissioner Gordon went along with him because Batman got the job done. His successor, Commissioner Michael Akins ordered the arrest of Batman and had the Bat-signal removed from the roof of Gotham Central. Corruption and rot within the police department also rose during Akins' tenure as Commissioner.

[edit] Current status of GCPD

As of DC's One Year Later, James Gordon has been reinstated as Commissioner, along with Harvey Bullock. Harvey came back on disciplinary probation after helping expose a criminal drug ring. Relation with Batman, including the Bat-Signal, have been established once more. Other characters from Gotham Central have appeared in the recent Tales of the Unexpected miniseries, featuring Crispus Allen as the Spectre. Thus far, Detective Driver has appeared in a speaking role. It is unknown what has happened to Commissioner Akins, but it is implied that, following revelations of massive corruption within the department, there has been a drastic cleaning-of-house within the department.

Kate Kane referred to Akins as police commissioner in the weekly 52 series, which reveals the events of the missing year. A later issue, however, showed a brief snapshot of Commissioner Gordon's welcome back party. The circumstances of Akins's departure and Gordon's reinstatement have yet to be explained. Maggie Sawyer is still the commander of the MCU department, and has ended her relationship with former lover Toby Raines.[citation needed]

[edit] Divisions of GCPD

  • Homicide Division
The division that handles murders and some of the more serious non-metahuman crimes in Gotham. This is the division Gordon was a part of before becoming commissioner. Former private investigator Jason Bard is now working on homicide cases for this division.
  • Major Crimes Unit
Led by Capt. Maggie Sawyer, who previously served in Metropolis in a similar position with that city's police, the MCU deals with the most serious crimes, often involving supervillains or politically sensitive cases. This division is the focus of the comic book series Gotham Central.
  • Quick Response Team
Led by Lt. Gerard "Jerry" Hennelly, the QRT is the GCPD's SWAT unit.

[edit] Current roster

  • James Gordon - Police Commissioner
  • Gerard "Jerry" Hennelly - Lieutenant and head of the Quick Response Team
  • Mackenzie "Hardback" Bock - Chief of Police and former head of OCCB (Organized Crime Control Bureau)
  • Jason Bard - Former private detective, now with the Homicide Division.
  • Nora Fields - Supervisor, Coroner's Office. Widow of Charlie Fields.
  • Officer Harper - Officer, associate of Robin.
  • Donald Peak - Officer, former partner of Andy Kelly.
  • Rebecca Mulcahey - Corrupt officer, lover of Jim Corrigan.
  • Stacy - Administrative Secretary to Commissioner Gordon.

Major Crimes Unit:

[edit] Former members

Note: The following are either deceased or have been dismissed from the Gotham City Police Department.

  • Michael Akins - Succeeded Gordon as commissioner, left GCPD during the one year gap under unknown circumstances.
  • Crispus Allen - Detective, Major Crimes Unit. Partnered with Renee Montoya. Killed by Jim Corrigan, now the Spectre.
  • Jim Corrigan - Corrupt CSI, killed Crispus Allen. Killed by Allen's son.
  • Roger DeCarlo - Corrupt officer. Killed by Poison Ivy after accidentally murdering one of her orphans and attempting to cover it up.
  • Sarah Essen Gordon - Major Crimes Unit commander, wife of Commissioner Gordon. Killed by the Joker during No Man's Land.
  • Charlie Fields - Detective, Major Crimes Unit. Partnered with Marcus Driver. Killed by Mr. Freeze.
  • Arnold Flass - Gordon's corrupt partner, fired. Killed by the Hangman.
  • Hugh Foley - Opposed Jim Gordon, killed by Billy Pettit during No Man's Land.
  • Peter Grogan - Corrupt commissioner after Loeb and before Gordon, dismissed.
  • Andy Howe - Briefly served as police commissioner after Mayor Krol fired Gordon.
  • Andrew "Andy" Kelly - Officer, partnered with Don Peak. Transformed into a monster by Doctor Alchemy and killed in self-defense by Peak.
  • David King - Police Captain, former ally of Gordon, killed during Year Three.
  • Stan Kitch - Former lieutenant, now a defense attorney.
  • Gillian B. Loeb - Corrupt commissioner in Year One, dismissed and later murdered by the Hangman.
  • Stan Merkel - Watch Commander/Patrolman killed during Dark Victory.
  • Renee Montoya - Detective, Major Crimes Unit. Partnered with Crispus Allen. Resigned after Allen's death, now the Question.
  • Timothy Munroe - Corrupt officer. Killed by Poison Ivy after accidentally murdering one of her orphans and attempting to cover it up.
  • Clancy O'Hara - Police Chief around the time Gordon had just initially became Commissioner. First victim of the Hangman at the start of Batman: Dark Victory.
  • Nate Patton - Detective, Major Crimes Unit. Partnered with Romy Chandler. Killed by the Joker.
  • Billy Pettit - Head of SWAT team, went insane. Killed a fellow police officer for an imagined betrayal during No Man's Land. Soon after was killed by the Joker.
  • Ronald Probson - Major Crimes Unit commander, killed by the Joker.
  • Jordan Rich - Corrupt officer, shot Jim Gordon. Killed indirectly by Harvey Bullock in retaliation.

[edit] Gotham City FBI

The Gotham City Federal Bureau of Investigation unit is also featured in the fictitous Gotham City. The Gotham City FBI usually catch criminals and kingpins by black vehicles with a red siren.

[edit] In other media

[edit] Serials

All other depictions of Batman have portrayed the Gotham City Police Department in some form or another. The 1940s Batman serials has actor Lyle Talbot in the role of Commissioner Gordon in each one. No other members of the force are shown. However, his appearance of Gordon having a feather-duster mustache was later adapted to the comics. Interestingly enough, he portrayed Lex Luthor in the Kirk Alyn serial Superman.

[edit] Batman (TV series)

The 1960s campy Batman featured Neil Hamilton as Gordon and Stafford Repp as Chief O'Hara. Both are depicted as being dependent on Batman and Robin to solve the cases, whereas the clues are easy to discover and interept. Gordon even keeps a link to the Batcave called "the Batphone" on his desk. In one episode, when Batman appears to be missing, Gordon laments that the police will have to solve a case "ourselves."

[edit] 1989-1997 live action films

All the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series seemed to give little depiction on the GCPD at all. In Batman, Gordon is portrayed by Pat Hingle, while the usually corrupt Harvey Bullock is replaced with William Hootkins' Lt. Max Eckhart, who is killed by Jack Napier prior to his accidental transformation. Hingle also appeared in Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin.

[edit] Batman: The Animated Series

In the acclaimed animated television series, Batman: The Animated Series, the GCPD characters are given more attention such as in "P.O.V," where the major characters of the force in the series participate in a detailed debriefing of an incident. One of the most important contributions from the animated series to the Batman universe is the introduction of Renee Montoya (first as a uniformed constable, then a detective), which would later become a first-grade character in the GCPD comic books. In the printed DC Universe, her presence was so solidly incorporated that she later retired from the Department to assume the identity of the Question.

[edit] Batman Begins and The Dark Knight

The reboot of the Batman film franchise, Batman Begins, has the GCPD play a pivotal role during the course of the film. While Jim Gordon (played by Gary Oldman) is the major officer, others from the comics play a role as well. Mark Boone Junior plays Detective Flass as dealing with the local mafia, and Colin MacFarlane appears as the staunchly vigilante-opposed Commissioner Loeb. Although Flass is shown to be corrupt, Loeb does not seem to be corrupted yet, but he is clearly displeased with the arrival of Batman. This is demonstrated by him calling a SWAT team to capture him; a scene which is lifted from the Year One comic.

The film's sequel, The Dark Knight, features the GCPD extensively. According to the viral marketing campaign for the film, Harvey Dent spearheads an initiative through his office to rid the department of corruption. Commissioner Loeb's role hasn't been disclosed in great detail, but according to the film's first full trailer, he does participate in activities that bring The Joker after him specifically.

[edit] The Batman

On the animated series The Batman, the focus of the GCPD in the first two seasons is on Detectives Ellen Yin and (prior to his Clayface transformation) Ethan Bennett. The corruption on the force is attributed to Chief Angel Rojas, who appeared often in those seasons. However, in the Season 2 finale, Jim Gordon, recently appointed Commissioner, calls off the manhunt and forms an alliance with Batman to help keep Gotham safe for his daughter, Barbara. Neither Rojas or Yin has been seen since then, though one episode that take places in the future implies that sometime between now and then, Yin will replace Gordon as Commissioner.

[edit] Alternate officers of the law

  • Batman (1960s TV show)
  • Batman (1989 film)
  • Birds of Prey (TV series from 2002-2003)
  • Detective Jesse Reese - Was played by Shemar Moore. The only honest cop in New Gotham who can help the Birds of Prey.
  • The Batman (TV series started in 2004)

[edit] See also

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