MovieChat Forums > A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) Discussion > On duty cop drinking in a bar?

On duty cop drinking in a bar?

posted 9 years ago by aboettinger1
16 replies | jump to latest

I'm just curious, was Liam Neeson's character on-duty when he was drinking in the bar? If so, isn't that illegal? Also, wouldn't he be in trouble for running through the streets, while drunk, shooting people? He tells the kid that he was drunk and that he quit the force because he shot the little girl through the eye and killed her Wouldn't this be grounds for at least removing him from the force, if not criminal charges? Neeson tells the boy he left of his own free will and even had a commendation. Is this realistic?

[–] destroyerwod 9 years ago

He does mention he was off duty that day.

Alice is the worst character of all time, she need to die in the last movie. Chris/Jill are RE !!!

[–] pamelann 9 years ago

There is Nothing "Illegal" About A Private Detective Drinking At Any Time. LOL
I Listened To The Book & I Highly Recommend It To You. "A Walk Among the Tombstones: A Matt Scudder Mystery" By Lawrence Block. He Wrote 18 Books In The Matt Scudder Series & 16 Of 18 Of These Are Available On Audible. Also, A Walk Among the Tombstones: A Matt Scudder Mystery is #10 In The Series.
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[–] polsixe 9 years ago

In the flashback to nine years earlier he was still a cop when he was drunk and had the shootout in the streets.

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

He was off duty and bear in mind it was a ricochet that killed the girl. 🐭

[–] Meats_Of_Evil 9 years ago

He was also a dirty cop.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Iconoclast321 (386) 3 years ago

In the movie? I didn't get that at all.

[–] avnrulz 9 years ago

O.P., I watched the movie with half an ear, and even I know the answers to these questions; are you sure you watched the movie?

BOHICA America!

[–] aboettinger1 9 years ago

Would you mind filling me in on the information you got from the movie? There have been several replies to my question and none of them answer it. Thanks!

[–] avnrulz 9 years ago

In the opening act, Liam Neeson's character is an off-duty cop in a bar, having a drink (or two) in the middle of the afternoon; 3 perps come in to rob the bar and shoot and kill the owner, and take a shot at him. He draws his weapon and, in the ensuing exchange of gun fire, kills two of them and seriously wounds the third. He discovers, afterward, that one of his rounds has ricocheted and killed a little girl. He was commended for killing the criminals, but bears the burden of killing the girl. He felt his drinking affected his actions that day, and caused her death. He quit the force and started going to AA meetings.

BOHICA America!

[–] spank-my-17 9 years ago

That doesn't answer his questions though. He wanted to know if a cop fired shots while drunk, stopped three robbers and accidentally killed a kid, he would realistically only be commended for his actions.
Was he really off duty and if so, what is the rule for firing a weapon intoxicated?

[–] bing-57 9 years ago

> Was he really off duty and if so, what is the rule for firing a weapon intoxicated?

It would be hard to call him intoxicated. He just sat down and had one drink. There was barely enough time for the shot to hit his stomach, much less enter the bloodstream. Plus, one shot (even two) isn't enough to make a person drunk.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] spank-my-17 9 years ago

I'm not talking about being drunk, but if they check his blood alcohol level if it is enough..
Also he was an alcoholic at the time, so I'm sure he was intoxicated regurlarly.

[–] shadowman1115824 9 years ago

I think he was giving the AA definition of drunk, meaning he was habitually drinking every day and would perhaps be staggering drunk by the end of the day. Also, one shot doesn't render you drunk, perhaps slightly off edge and another thing to consider is the decade when the incident occurred, three martini lunches were still considered natural.

[–] MrCastle 9 years ago

Scudder had 2 shots and a coffee. After the incident, when questioned i would specualte that he only would mention the coffee and not the shots. Cause where i come from, digesting alcohol of any kind while on or off duty and then firing your weapon and hitting a little girl, would not result in him getting a recommendation, no?
So i'd say he quit because of the guilt without his superiors knowing that he had drank alcohol.

[–] ottoskorzeny83 (16) 7 months ago

this was year 1991. things hadn't got so strict at that time. my teachers in school would have drink in local boozer. doubt theyre allowed now lol