The Informant Cagney and Lacey

Come on!

Good morning, Lacey. You never typed up the report on the felony... I'll take care of it, Paul.

Police brutality!

Sit down! You'd just love to see me get ten years, wouldn't you?

I'd love to see you get a lobotomy! This guy's animal life. What did he do?

Carved up a wino for 5 dollars!

Now we get abuse. Nobody loves a cop. If you want love, be a fireman.

What mood is HE in? Harvey Jr wants to do a school project here. He's already chewed up Petrie,

kicked Coleman out of the office and yelled at me.

One of his good mornings, huh?

Mary-Beth, got a minute? No. It's about your mother-in-law, Muriel.

Go ahead. I really enjoyed meeting her. And I was wondering, does she have any free time?

Lacey, would you join Detective Cagney and me in my office? Yes, sir.

Call her up. She'd love to hear from you.

Four PCP raids and no arrests. That's a batting average of 0.000.

George Steinbrenner pays millions for guys with records like that(!)

We're fighting phantoms. They move those labs so fast. The coffee was still warm when we got there!

The bottom line is somebody is selling PCP to high-school kids on school property.

Citizens out there think we should stop this, and they're right.

Would the schools let one of us go undercover as a teacher?

I've been talking to Max Mulgannon over in Narcotics, and he's got a young kid working for him -

an informant who we can have on loan. There isn't one who wouldn't sell his mother for a bowling shirt!

Lacey, the decision's been made. Mulgannon's waiting for you. Yes, sir.

Sir, I know this isn't the time, but I have a personal favour to ask.

Trust your instincts, Lacey. It's not the right time. Yes, sir.

Informants are criminals. If perps hung out with model citizens,

we'd have no problem but they don't. How else do we get our information?

Have you read this fella's rap sheet?

"Four counts grand theft, burglary, possession heroin, possession cocaine...

"and one count of selling his mother for a bowling shirt(!)"

They say prisons are overcrowded, yet all the criminals are on the police payroll!

Get up against the wall!

Hold it right there, we're police officers!

What...? Oh, boy! You two gotta be Samuels' girls, right?

Which one's Cagney, which one's Lacey?

I'm Detective Cagney, this is Detective Lacey. You must be Samuels' boy!

You broads don't let us get away with anything now.

This is Matt Thompson, my gift to the 14th Squad. Say hello to the ladies, Matthew. Say hello! Hello!

Where d'you think you're going? I'm gonna sit down.

Get us something to eat.

I want a double cheeseburger, extra tomato and mayonnaise,

no relish, some fries. You want something?

Coffee. Two. I guess the ladies don't want you to strain yourself.

Hey, don't get cute with the change, either! Are you always so charming with informants?

He gives me information, I don't send him to jail.

That don't mean I have to like him any more than I do my haemorrhoids.

This ain't no kid from the South Bronx!

He's from the suburbs. He grew up with a lot more than I ever did.

His parents are probably at their shrink trying to figure out where they went wrong.

He's a good stoolie, though. So why give him to us?

I'm working on a bigger case.

Ever heard of Andres Palma?

No. He's a major South American heroin and cocaine importer.

Just getting ready to close in on him.

The kid can't help on this one, so you two can use him. But look...

Feed him rough, will you? So he don't forget who's boss.

Thanks.

Look, I've got one request. Don't spoil him.

Use him, make him work for you, but don't trust him any further than you can spit on him.

When do I get to go undercover? What's your hurry?

I'm really looking forward to doing this. I got my personal reasons...

You do? Yes. My parents, they always wanted me to go to Western Prep.

This is gonna make 'em real proud.

Right.

You won't believe me, but I got strong feelings about doing this.

Drugs messed up my life real bad.

If I could do something to save some other kid from that,

maybe I'd feel a little bit better about myself.

Detective Cagney is setting it up. We want you to be registered as a student. That might be a problem.

Old friends? Old clothes. Everyone there wears stuff with alligators and polo ponies across the...

We'll get you new clothes. Thanks.

That's the third time you've rubbed that shoulder. Let me type. I can type 90wpm.

I had a crush on my typing teacher so I took Typing One three years in a row - my only A.

OK? OK. What do I do? Take this here and transfer it on to a blue.

Laguardia! Yeah? I got that form you wanted typed finally. Oh, thanks.

Mary-Beth, listen, about Muriel... Did you call her? I can't find the number. I gave you it a dozen times!

I keep losing it. I'm afraid she'll say no when I ask her to dinner. No, she was very...

I never saw that stuff! You planted it on me. Who told you to stand up? Hands behind your back!

What you in for? False arrest. Me, too!

That man you carved up is still in intensive care. False arrest - good one!

That's nice friends you've got(!)

Thank you.

We always protect an informant.

Mulgannon uses his handcuff routine as an excuse to rough me up.

I will tell you again. You treat us fair, we'll treat you fair.

You're a decent lady. If the mutual admiration society's adjourned, I've got some new business.

Is it set? He enrols tomorrow. Look, I'll do a good job for you. You can trust me.

Right.

You think I'm a dead-end street, don't you?

I think you are who you are.

Lady, if I read my rap sheet, I wouldn't have much use for me, either. I've changed.

I just hope that I can prove it to you.

A student will walk Matt through his first day of classes.

No-one will know Matt's purpose for being here.

BUZZER GOES Jeremy, come in.

Jeremy Martin, one of our better students. Jeremy, this is Matt.

Hi. How're you doin'?

Can we go now, Mr Herrold? Go ahead.

It was nice meeting you. Thank you, Jeremy.

I have to say I have misgivings about bringing a drug addict, even an ex-drug addict, into my school.

Our department has done this before and it's been very successful.

It's your responsibility. Yes, sir.

Thank you. Ow! Your shoulder? Yeah. OK, darling, give me a second.

Give me the brush. Thank you. I'll be with you.

All right, sit down.

It's right here. You got it.

Tight? Yeah.

Feel better? It's beginning to.

Mom, did you ask Lieutenant Samuels about me coming to the station? No, but I will.

When? Soon.

Go to the library. I've done my work on the criminal justice system and the courts.

Just the police left. What am I? You don't count.

Nice(!) You know what he means.

When can I come? I give you my word I will talk to Lieutenant Samuels this week.

You're welcome(!) No, more here, more here.

Is Samuels gonna be a problem? He always is. Is he still on about that PCP case? Yeah, and I hate it.

Half the kids on dope are not any older than him. Don't worry. He's a good kid.

I didn't think it was possible, but the Lieutenant was in an even worse mood than yesterday.

Have you talked to him about Harvey Jr yet? No.

Well, you've got tomorrow. Tomorrow is a school holiday. Tomorrow I said I'd bring the kid in.

I must talk to the Lieutenant this afternoon.

So where's our other young scholar? He said he'd be here at noon.

Whoa!

Hey, I was here. You're late.

Trying to give us a heart attack?!

Get over here! Sorry, I didn't mean nothing by it. We are not playing games here, Matt.

If you don't like hide-and-seek, we'll play show-and-tell. This is a cigarette dipped in PCP liquid.

Found the dealer? No, a kid who's a runner for the dealer. He can help us set up a buy. Who?

I'll need 200 dollars to make it look good.

100 dollars will look good enough.

A student or someone from the outside? Student. Get a name?

It's the kid that was showing me around.

Jeremy Martin. If he's a dealer, he's one hell of an actor!

They're all actors. That's part of the gig. Martin's got a bad habit.

Desperate people do desperate things. I used to be desperate, too.

I'll see you around the quad, huh?

He's good, I'll give him that, but he's seen too many Bogart films.

Meaning? That con job. The reformed criminal routine. Please!

You don't think it's possible? You do?

It's possible. Not in a million years, come on!

You've got very cynical, Christine.

I'm hoping that you are wrong.

If I'm wrong, all I have to do is say sorry.

If you're wrong, we get burned.

Sir, Harvey Jr won't interfere with police business.

I'll stay with him the whole time.

Lacey, next time I'd appreciate it if I was consulted.

A police station is not a place for a young kid.

If it was up to me...

What was I saying?

If it was up to you...? Yeah, I would...

The kid is here already, let him stay. But promise you'll watch him. I will, sir. Thank you, sir.

Sounds good. We'll be there.

That was our boy. The buy's going down. Gotta pick up the stuff, take it to the lab. Oh, no.

Sorry, I can't leave you here alone. So get on the subway. Go back home.

Mary-Beth, he can stay with me. I'd love to give him an interview. Sure?

I'm just pushing paper for the next hour. I owe you one.

You stay with Detective Laguardia. Sit there.

Bye-bye, Mom! Bye!

To begin with, we might take a look at the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta?

It's amazing when you explore the ramifications

of the concept of habeas corpus. Yes, sir.

D'you think something happened to him?

I think something happened to us.

We've been stood up.

Let's give him ten more minutes. OK.

What d'you do with a kid like that?

What if you're that kid's mother?

Do you put your head in the sand? Blame yourself or write him off?

What would I do if Harvey Jr got mixed up in that dope stuff?

Oh, come on, he's a great kid. Nothing's gonna happen to him.

Harvey Sr told me the same thing. See? There you go.

I'd just like him to know how dangerous it is. I'd like to take him down the morgue and scare him!

If you make too big a deal out of this, it'll make it more exciting to him. That's what happened to me.

When I discovered sex was a sin.

It wasn't until 1652 that New York had its own police department.

I'm afraid I'm boring you, son.

No, not really, sir.

Would you like to talk about something else? Like what?

I was wondering if you know if your grandmother likes macrobiotic food.

Yeah? Open the door, kid!

Hi. I screwed up, didn't I?

We had an appointment. Or did that just slip your mind? Come on in.

I could tell you an outstanding story and you'd believe me, or I could tell you the truth.

I got burned. I gave the guy the cash and he never came back. I came home because I couldn't face you.

You opted for the outstanding story. It's true! I'm sick of your act!

You've produced zilch and burned us for 100 bucks! I'm dealing with lowlife!

You cannot expect things to run smoothly. I got burned.

It happens. Not to me.

I can't prove you've lied. But if you don't come up with something, I'm kicking you back to Mulgannon!

Let's get outta here. What happened to fair and fair? Look, wait!

Not too many people have given me a reason to trust them, least of all cops.

It's hard to accept the idea that you won't just dump on me. So far you haven't shown us anything.

I got burned! When I got home, I wanted to get stoned, but I didn't.

I believe in what I'm doing and it's helping me to stay straight.

You've got to give me another chance!

Go back to school and find something out. Stay clean.

We're not the Feds. We haven't got unlimited funds to give to stoolies.

He's on to the supplier. Can we give him a few more days? Yeah.

We got a call from a guy in an apartment block near Western Prep.

He thinks a guy in his building is making PCP. Why does he think that?

He heard a news broadcast that warns that a minty odour is a sign of PCP manufacture.

'One apartment in his building stinks of mint.'

"Madame Frolovsky - spiritual and herbal healer."

Which of us has the disease? Not me. My mother said, "Pretend to be sick, you get sick."

So you wouldn't cut school. I won't do it! OK, I'll have tennis elbow.

You don't play! It'll be a quick cure.

Yes? Hello, I wonder if you could...

Excuse me. There's something wrong with your shoulder.

How do you know that?

Relax. I don't read minds.

I simply observe that you carry this shoulder higher than the other. It looks like it gives you some pain.

Yeah, it's here. D'you use herbs? Among other secret ingredients.

I smell mint. Yes, herbal tea. It lends an air of authenticity.

People are more comfortable if things are as they expect them to be.

I'll get you ointment to rub into your shoulder.

So much for our PCP bust! Should've got Laguardia some mint tea. Next time.

You're gonna go back there?

My shoulder is better. If she gives you any chocolate mousse, don't eat it. Remember Rosemary's Baby?

Are we talking movies or life? Life in the movies.

THEY SCREAM What?!

The car was locked! Took me 20 seconds to unlock it! I was looking for you.

A big drug buy's going down in Jack's Cafe over on 34th. Sure? Be there or be square!

"Be there or be square"? 34th Street.

This is it. Maybe we should call for back-up. We don't have time.

Excuse me, where's your rest room? In the back. Thanks.

We've got a little business back there. OK.

I'll take the john. Right.

When you hear me. Right.

Excuse me. Sorry.

Excuse me.

Stay where you are. You're under arrest! Hands over your heads!

On the wall! All of you! On the wall! Hands over your head!

You've made a big mistake.

Two of three perpetrators are FBI, working on this case for six months!

How are we meant to know? You ask!

Now I've got to deal with the Feds, Narcotics, Division Commander,

and, worst of all, with Inspector Marquette!

We are very sorry, sir. Get outta here!

Yes, sir.

He made a mistake. He's only 19.

He will never live to see 20!

The kid got some information on a drug buy.

He had no way of knowing the Feds were there.

Why are you defending him? You didn't want to work with him in the first place!

I'm saying we don't know that he set us up.

He's disappeared. I don't think that's coincidence.

I don't think... Is it 3.30 already? Yeah. Hi, Mom.

How's my favourite sixth grader? Still outrageous? Totally!

A kid from Western Prep went through a plate-glass window. Called Martin.

Go over to St John's Hospital. One small problem.

What's that? Harvey Jr is here to finish his interviews. Petrie will be happy to talk to your son.

He's busy. I thought if you had a minute, he could interview you.

You could really help, with your wealth of experience, skilfulness... Have I any choice?

I'd really like to talk to you, sir.

Looks like you're stuck with me.

He's not that kind of boy.

He had absolutely no interest in drugs or alcohol.

He never even tried smoking cigarettes.

At least, that's what I thought until now.

Mr Martin, we see a lot of this. Don't blame yourself.

Since his mother died...

Jeremy and I built a strong relationship.

His only problem is shyness...

Mr Martin, how is he? There was a lot of bleeding, but they think he'll be OK.

Do you have a family lawyer? Why? We think Jeremy may have been dealing drugs.

Impossible. We have a good source.

Your son may need a lawyer. My God!

Detective, I know this boy. I know your source.

I've a strong suspicion who's dealing drugs. It's not Jeremy.

Sir, would you mind if we talked to him?

I don't remember much of anything.

When I think about going through that window...

I can't believe it was me that did it.

It doesn't feel like me.

From what we hear, it wasn't like you. Who gave you the PCP?

Loyalty is something to be respected.

Whoever gave you that dope counted on your loyalty and your silence.

No, he just thought I'd have a good time, that's all. He's my friend.

This friendship stinks. He almost killed you.

It's not gonna work. I'm not gonna tell you who it was. OK.

When we came down to the hospital, we had information YOU were dealing dope.

Me? Yeah.

Who told you something like that?

It was Matt, wasn't it?

Matt told you that.

Yes, he did.

I thought he was my friend.

Did Matt give you the drugs?

Yeah.

All right, pick up the stoolie and bring him in.

Yeah, right. Harvey Jr? He's annoying the hell out of me, that's what!

No, you go bust that kid. Everything here will be fine. Harvey'll be OK.

Yeah, OK. Bye-bye.

Thank you. Gin!

I'll get that creep and I'll kill him. We treated him too good.

He'd never have done that to Mulgannon.

It's not Matt or Mulgannon, it's the system of using informants.

It's our fault the kid went through the window? If we hadn't put an informant in, Jeremy would be OK.

It isn't informants, it's Matt! And next time it's somebody else!

I forgot you were collecting fives.

All right. How old are you? 12, sir.

It's hard to believe. So where was I?

You said you liked being a policeman because it was so real.

Yeah. When we deal with people, it's because they did something bad to somebody

or somebody did something bad to them. At a time like that, it's kinda hard to put on airs.

Follow what I mean? Sort of.

You see, outside in the real world there's...

You know, people say things to each other

like "Have a nice day" or "Lovely weather we're having". Stuff like that.

Or they talk about movie stars or the Queen of England like that stuff mattered in their lives.

No, I like it in here because in here it may not be the prettiest job in the world,

but in here it's real!

Hold it right there, sonny!

I'm gonna kill him.

We've got to catch him first!

Matt, you lousy punk!

There!

Hold it right there!

Hold it! Flight time is over, Matt! Come on down from there.

Keep your hands where I can see 'em.

Do the best you can, kid.

You took our money and bought drugs.

And sold them to those kids in that school. One of them is lying in St John's! You don't understand...

I'll let you know when you can talk!

D'you hear that? We don't understand him.

This poor boy's a victim of our misunderstanding(!)

I don't like being made a fool of.

Look at me! You have fixed it so I have to come up with answers to some very rough questions!

What do we have on him?

The original two counts of possession

which the DA was holding at Mulgannon's request.

We also have new charges of possession with intent to sell,

resisting arrest.

So d'you think they'll let you watch cartoons in prison?

Wait! I have a proposition.

What if I get you a real drug dealer? Is it your hearing? There are no deals!

The trading post is closed. I'm talking Mr Very Big. Heard of Andres Palma? Matt, it's over!

You're going to jail.

What could you possibly know about Palma? I know plenty.

Really? Yeah.

Talk fast and make it real good.

A few months ago I made a lot of buys from people working for Palma.

I was meant to set up a meeting, but I couldn't.

We knew where he lived...

So one night I visited his place. I picked the locks in ten seconds.

I hoped to find drugs. Why are we listening to this? Let him talk.

He didn't have drugs lying around, but I did find a book.

Believe it or not, a little black book with all his contacts listed.

Importers, customers' names, addresses, the works. You've got this book? Think I'm stupid?

He'd have missed it. I took pictures of every page.

You conveniently had a camera? I stole his one.

So why didn't you give these pictures to Mulgannon?

I thought I'd keep them for a rainy day.

In case I got into real trouble.

Right now it looks like it's pouring.

So what's it gonna be?

Put a small-time punk like me in jail and nobody notices...

..or get yourself a big arrest?

Six O'Clock News, medals, promotions...

Come on, sounds good, don't it? Don't it?

I hate this whole thing here!

We're talking about Andres Palma. You know how big this could be.

And there's a kid in the hospital. He could've killed himself.

How many kids are in hospital due to Palma's drugs?

How many murders are committed to get his stuff?

Matt Thompson deserves to be in jail.

It's a trade-off.

I don't like it any more than you do.

The kid is smart, he knows. We can nail somebody much more important.

Is that it? He got you with that stuff about the TV and promotions.

All you care about is the next step to becoming Chief of Detectives! D'you really believe that? No!

Sorry, I'm angry. Let's go ahead and do this for the greater good. That's why I'm angry.

Forgive me, but I won't feel good about letting Matt Thompson walk.

It may be expedient, it may be convenient, but it isn't justice.

And it sure as hell isn't right!

You spoke to her? Yeah. And? Where are you going to dinner, Paul?

We're not. She turned you down?

Not exactly. We had a lovely conversation and I said I wasn't busy Saturday night.

And she said? I should get out more often.

I think the idea was to ask if SHE was busy Saturday night. Call her again. Be a little more aggressive.

Some of us still like that in men.

Right, I will.

I'll get you the arrest reports from some of the cases your mom and I worked on.

Then you ask me questions. There's one case I'm really interested in. What's that? Matt the Enforcer.

It's "Informant". Not one of our great successes.

At least not yet. I saw an informant on Kojak once.

Kojak would give the guy 10 dollars and he'd help him solve crimes. He was great.

On television they are great, but in real life they are criminals. Write that down. They are criminals.

Does that about wrap it up, pal? Almost.

This informant stuff is interesting. I hope my teacher doesn't think I made it up.

Come on, I'll buy you a candy bar. A guy like that can break any law and not go to jail!

Harvey, I understand how all of this is very fascinating to you.

I know it sounds strange that we use criminals to help us in the department.

So I'm gonna explain it to you. Are you listening to me? Yeah.

They give us valuable information, information that we need.

In exchange for that, we keep them out of jail for as long as they help us. The guy goes free, right?

Right, but I want you to understand what we get in exchange for that.

Can he do anything? Could he kill someone?

No. We can't let him get away with that!

Can he break someone's arm and get away with it? There's no set rules. We make it up as we go along.

Hey, kid, I remembered a terrific case I cracked! What is this?

That PCP dealer. The one you blew the FBI collar on. They've been tailing him ever since.

What if Matt gave me drugs and I went to the hospital? Mom wouldn't let him off with that.

She yelled at Dad once just for giving me a sip of beer.

I don't have the answer for that, Harvey. Christine!

Look at the address on the bottom.

I never figured how Matt saw our car the day he told us about the drug buy. It wasn't a coincidence.

I think he and our PCP dealer went to see someone in that building.

What's-her-name. Frolovsky.

How do you disguise the smell of mint? With more mint.

The quack's a front? The shoulder did feel better.

Go get her.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Hey! I'll cover the back.

Damn! Kick that thing in for me!

Try the back rooms.

Kick this thing in. Hold it there!

Don't move!

Freeze! Police! That's as far as you go, fool!

Camphor and menthol - you can buy it across the counter! Ladies, you got a visitor.

Detectives. Mr Martin.

Sorry to bother you. I thought I'd let you know Jeremy's gonna be OK. He's getting out Monday. Terrific.

Did you pick up that Thompson kid? Jeremy will testify against him.

Yes, sir. We have him in custody now. Shall I bring Jeremy down to make a statement?

That might be a bit premature. Detective Cagney, I don't want this to just fade away.

I almost lost my son. I want someone to pay for it. It's just that we have procedures... Excuse me.

Mr Martin, I've been a police officer long enough to think that I know human nature.

Me and my partner disagreed about Matt Thompson and I accused her of being cynical.

Chris, I was wrong about you, I was wrong about Matt. Didn't you arrest him? Yes, sir, we did.

But before I sign out, go home and make dinner for my boys, I'm gonna let him go. Why?

When we arrested Matt, he had some very important documents

that can help us convict one of New York's largest drug importers.

In exchange for that information, Matt will go free.

I'm sure you've heard about this sort of thing, sir.

We only do this when we are convinced the exchange is worth it.

Does anyone else know about this? The whole department, sir.

And his information is really that important?

Yes, sir, we believe it is.

I guess you know your business.

I just wish I could bring you home to explain it to Jeremy.

Aren't you gonna say anything?

Nothing to say.

Yeah, there is.

Come on.

We've got to live with ourselves.

I know we'll sleep a lot better if that kid's put in prison,

so if it's all the same to you, sir, we'll just get Palma another way.

Finished? I think so. Good.

Very nice sermon, but you're a little late. What d'you mean, sir?

The jerk got tired of waiting on you, so he offered Mulgannon the information.

Mulgannon sprung the kid in 15 minutes.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, sir.

Christine, are you OK? You've been in here half an hour.

Yeah, I just wanted a little privacy. Right.

Did you want me to leave?

He's laughing at us, Mary-Beth.

Right now, wherever he is, Matt Thompson is having such a laugh on the two of us. To hell with him!

Yeah, but all that talking we did... Who the hell did we think we were? Plato and Socrates?

Morality and justice, it's such a joke.

The system just... It just keeps on truckin'.

Mulgannon gets all the glory

and that little creep, he just gets off scot-free.

We did our job. Our job was to bust a PCP ring. We did that.

Without the help of an informant. We kept our principles intact which isn't easy in this city.

Mary-Beth! What is it?

Muriel and I are going out to a macrobiotic dinner.

I'm delighted for you. Laguardia, this is the women's john!

Excuse me. Forgive me. See you later.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd