A New Day (The Wire) - Plot - Summary - Politics

Politics

Reverend Frank Reid and the minister who was accosted by Sergeant Thomas "Herc" Hauk attend a meeting with Mayor Tommy Carcetti to complain about Herc's actions. They try to persuade Carcetti to introduce a civilian review board for police complaints. Norman Wilson reminds them that, with African Americans as commissioner and as Internal Investigations Division commander, the racial aspects of the incident will not go unexamined. The ministers respond by stating that they believe commissioner Ervin Burrell's authority has been limited. Carcetti asks the ministers not to pre-judge the investigation of the complaint and tells them he takes the matter seriously. They leave disappointed but thank the mayor for keeping an open door. After the ministers leave, Wilson and Carcetti discuss the difficulty of their position; if Carcetti fires Herc, then the rank and file of the police department will be upset, but leniency will upset the black political infrastructure. "Yummy," Carcetti remarks on the subject, "My first bowl of shit."

Colonel Cedric Daniels and Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman host a meeting with the homicide unit. They ask for suggestions to pass on to the new mayor and state's attorney. Detective Crutchfield suggests improved witness protection and a pay raise; the latter idea is greeted with much enthusiasm from the other detectives. Detective Freamon asks for more proactive investigation and more time for case prep. Detective Norris suggests greater investment in lab work and technicians. Detective Greggs is exhilarated at the prospect of "a new day" but Sergeant Landsman is skeptical.

Wilson meets with Deputy Commissioner of Operations William Rawls and gives him a memo from Carcetti asking for community-based policing and high-end police work. Rawls asks Wilson about firing Burrell. Wilson explains that they do not have the political capital available, which is compounded by the situation with the ministers. Rawls asks if they want Herc fired and Wilson tells him they do not want to interfere with the day-to-day running of the department. Rawls confirms that the new administration is interested in the perception of the investigation and recommends assigning the task to Daniels as Herc's new commanding officer.

Rawls meets with Daniels and passes him the investigation. He tells Daniels that in minor cases he can issue a summary judgment or pass the case to a trial board. Daniels asks Rawls what City Hall would want, and to Daniels' surprise, Rawls tells him to do the right thing.

The following morning, Carcetti visits the Department of Public Works and tells them to tow an abandoned vehicle that he noticed. He does not offer the location of the vehicle. This galvanizes the department into action. He offers similar instructions to the Department of Parks and Recreation, telling them that a constituent called and asked them to clean up a hazardous playground in her area, but again, does not reveal a location. He repeats the trick at the water department. All three departments initiate a flurry of activity soon afterwards.

Senator Davis and Burrell play golf and discuss the summary judgment Daniels has issued. Burrell believes the punishment of two weeks' extra duty is too lenient for the ministers. Burrell arrogantly suggests that he is the only person who knows how to play the game.

Carcetti has a disappointing budget meeting and learns that it will be difficult to muster the funds he needs to re-energize the police department.

Rawls introduces the policy change to his commanders and is met with pessimism from the patrol division commander. Rawls insists that they follow the mayor's orders. Daniels approaches Rawls after the meeting to request reconstituting the Major Crimes Unit under his command in the Criminal Investigations Division. Rawls approves Daniels's suggestion. Deputy Commissioner of Administration Stan Valchek tells Rawls that he is smart to support Daniels as he is likely to be the next commissioner. Rawls is surprised at the assertion, thinking that he himself would be next in line. Amused, Valchek tells Rawls there is no way he could become commissioner given Baltimore's African American majority.

Daniels then meets with Freamon, suggesting that Freamon return to Major Crimes. Freamon is concerned about Marimow leading the unit, but Daniels responds by allowing Freamon to pick his own people and his own commander, concluding that as far as Daniels is concerned, Freamon "is the Major Crimes Unit." Freamon returns to the unit headquarters and reviews the subpoenaed evidence that has been collected in his absence. As Freamon looks at the names on the subpoenas, Carcetti is at a fundraising event with those very same people: Andy Krawczyk, Ed Bowers, Maurice Webber and Clay Davis.

Carcetti meets with the Western District patrol officers and announces the officer pay raise and the new focus on community-based policing. McNulty is dubious of Carcetti's commitment to avoiding stat-based policing, but Carcetti insists that if the current command cannot meet his request then he will replace them.

Burrell arrives at the mayor's office and Carcetti reluctantly agrees to see him. Burrell tells Carcetti that he does not mind his orders about strategy being countermanded and segues into a discussion about Herc's punishment. He reveals that Daniels is planning to recommend sensitivity training and tells Carcetti that they will need to be more severe for the ministers. Burrell tells Carcetti that he can find a more convincing reason to fire Herc, based on his history in narcotics, that will appease both the ministers and the rank and file. Burrell says his greatest asset is his ability to understand bureaucratic process and meet the mayor's needs.

Carcetti meets with the department heads and hears reports of how they have acted on his requests for cleanup. He continues to encourage the public works department by claiming they have not resolved the complaint he received, but congratulates the water department head when he reports that all hydrants are capped. When the heads of the water and public works departments leave, Carcetti is given some bad news: his budget adviser has just learned that the school system is running a deficit of $54 million. Carcetti is stupefied.