Cop Land - Plot

Plot

Set in the town of Garrison, New Jersey, located across the Hudson River from New York City, a large number of residents are NYPD Officers.

One night, the car of young cop Murray "Superboy" Babitch (Rapaport), nephew of Lt. Ray Donlan (Keitel), is sideswiped on the George Washington Bridge by a couple of African-American teens. Thinking they had fired at him, Babitch fires back and the teens are killed in the ensuing crash.

Worried about a possible racial incident, Ray's solution is to fake a suicide, pretending that Babitch jumped off the bridge. When a corrupt cop, Jack Rucker (Patrick), is caught trying to plant a weapon to justify the shooting, other corrupt Officers, including Det. Leo Crasky (Spencer) and Frank Lagonda (Nascarella), fear Babitch will resurface and testify to Internal Affairs.

IA Investigator Lt. Moe Tilden (De Niro) asks Garrison's mild-mannered half deaf Sheriff Freddy Heflin (Stallone) to provide information on the corrupt cops who live in his town. Though they work in a different city, Freddy views them as brothers and is reluctant to betray them, derailing Moe's investigation.

Freddy is secretly in love with Liz Randone (Annabella Sciorra), whose life he once saved in a near-drowning that cost him the hearing in one ear. The deafness prevented Freddy from joining the NYPD like so many others in town, including the man Liz eventually married, the abusive and unfaithful Joey Randone (Berg).

Although the cover-up at first seems successful, Ray is told by Patrolmen's Defense Association President Vincent Lassaro (Vincent) that without a body, the case will not stay cold. Ray reluctantly decides that his nephew should be killed. Babitch is tipped off by his aunt Rose (Cathy Moriarty) and escapes. He goes to Freddy's house looking for help, but when he sees Freddy's friend (and fellow NYPD cop) Gary "Figgsy" Figgis (Liotta), he flees. Earlier that night, Joey falls to his death on duty, aided by the fact that Ray took his time getting there (revenge for Joey's sexual affair with Ray's wife).

When Freddy realizes his mistake, he returns to Moe, but is angrily told that the case was blown by his failure to co-operate earlier. As he is shown the door, Freddy steals several NYPD files on the case. Back in his office, he studies the files and realizes the extent of his friends' corruption. Deputy Cindy Betts (Janeane Garofalo) decides to leave Garrison, frustrated by the New York cops having turned the town into their own personal fiefdom. Freddy returns home to find Figgsy packing to leave, not wanting to be further involved.

Freddy tells his Deputies what he is doing. Freddy also finds out that Figgsy burned down his own house, for the insurance money, accidentally resulting in the death of his crack-addicted girlfriend Monica (Mel Gorham). Freddy persuades Rose to reveal where her nephew is hiding. Freddy finds him and takes him to Garrison's jail. Soon after, Freddy's Deputy Bill Geisler (Noah Emmerich) leaves to tend to his pregnant wife.

Freddy attempts to take Babitch to New York to turn over to IA, but they are ambushed, Jack fires a gun next to Freddy's good ear and Babitch is taken. Knowing that Babitch has been taken to Ray's house to be killed, Freddy prepares to take them on by himself. A shootout follows, with Freddy killing Jack and Frank. Freddy is then shot in the shoulder by Leo, but is saved by the arrival of Figgsy, who kills Leo. Freddy and Figgsy continue into the house where Babitch is trying to escape through a window. Ray sneaks up behind Freddy, but before he can fire, Figgsy shoots at Ray but misses. Barely hearing the shot, Freddy turns and fatally shoots Ray. As Ray lies dying on the floor, he mutters obscenities toward Freddy, to which Freddy replies simply; "I can't hear you, Ray."

Later, after the scandal has been investigated and indictments handed down, Freddy, who has recovered, is seen looking at the New York skyline from across the Hudson. Deputy Geisler notifies him about a jack-knifed truck and Freddy goes back to work.