Chief James E. Davis Quotes in Changeling (2008)

Christine Collins: Why would they do this?

Rev. Gustav Briegleb: To avoid admitting they made a mistake when they brought back the wrong boy. Of course, anyone reading the newspaper with half a brain would see through it instantly. Sadly, that would exclude about half the readership of the Times. Mrs. Collins, I have made it my mission in life to bring to light all the things the LAPD wish none of us ever knew about. A department ruled by violence, abuse, murder, corruption and intimidation. When Chief Davis took over the force two years ago, he said...

Chief James E. Davis: We will hold court against gunmen in the streets of Los Angeles. I want them brought in dead, not alive, and I will reprimand any officer who shows the least mercy to a criminal.

Rev. Gustav Briegleb: He picked fifty of the most violent cops on the force, gave them machine guns and permission to shoot anyone who got in their way. He called them the Gun Squad. No lawyers, no trials, no questions, no suspensions, no investigations, just piles of bodies. Bodies in the morgues, bodies in the hospitals, bodies by the side of the road, and not because the LAPD wanted to wipe out crime. No. The LAPD wanted to wipe out the competition. Mayor Cryer and half the force are on the take: gambling, prostitution, bootlegging, you name it. Because once you give people the freedom to do whatever they want, as the Lord found in the Garden of Eden, they will do exactly that. This police department does not tolerate dissent or contradiction or even embarrassment. And you are in a position to embarrass them and they do not like it. They will do anything in their power to discredit you. I've seen it happen too many times to start going blind now. That's why I wanted to meet you, to let you know what you're getting yourself into and to help you fight it, if you choose to.

Christine Collins: Reverend, I appreciate everything that you're doing and everything that you said, but I'm not on a mission. I just want my son home.

Chief James E. Davis: Captain, your handling of the Christine Collins case has exposed this department to public ridicule. There is even the possibility of civil and criminal liability.

Capt. J.J. Jones: Sir, nobody could've known what was happening up at that ranch. Not us, the sheriff's department, or the marshal's office, and as for the Collins woman, I'm still not convinced that her boy is among the victims up in Wineville.

Chief James E. Davis: No?

Capt. J.J. Jones: No. There were four other photos of missing boys that looked a lot like him. The Clark kid could've been mistaken.

Chief James E. Davis: Maybe he was, which begs the obvious question: Who cares?

Capt. J.J. Jones: Sir?

Chief James E. Davis: The mayor wants this to go away. I want this to go away! The way you do that is stop insisting that Walter Collins is not among those boys killed up at that goddamn ranch! Because if the boy you brought back is not Walter Collins and he's not dead up at that ranch, then where the hell is he? People are going to want to know why we haven't found him, why we're not doing our job! But if, on the other hand, he is, or could be, among those poor boys killed up in Wineville, then the inquiries stop.

[pause]

Chief James E. Davis: It's a momentary embarrassment you're just going to have to live with. Better a short inconvenience than a lingering problem, wouldn't you say, Captain?

Capt. J.J. Jones: Yes, sir.

Chief James E. Davis: The boy's been gone nearly a year. If he was going to be found, it would have happened by now. Whether he was up at that ranch or not, the truth is he probably is dead somewhere. Better his mother accept that now than later, don't you think?

Capt. J.J. Jones: Yes, sir.

Chief James E. Davis: Good. That'll be all, Captain.