1314:
465:
Rawls does not realize that
Daniels could be promoted ahead of him until Valchek points out the hindrance of Rawls' Caucasian race, specifically due to Baltimore's African American majority and the fact that the black community will only accept a white Commissioner if there is a black Mayor, or vice
457:
officers is required. He says this has occurred up the chain of command as well as in the academy and the early promotions have put inexperienced officers who are more trained to handle statistical values than they are to set out good policing strategies in command positions. Rawls claims that if it
175:
and deft political maneuvering are generally portrayed as detrimental to the department and the work of officers under his command; seen, for example, in his regular attempts to offload difficult case-work to other divisions or departments, or shut down investigations in order to keep 'stats' down.
461:
Despite being a loyal subordinate, Rawls develops a power struggle with
Burrell over who controls the activity in the department. Rawls is commanded to control day-to-day activity by Carcetti. Carcetti has no faith in Burrell's capacity to change the department's problems. Burrell is threatened by
312:
In exchange, he has Rawls promise to give him anything necessary to solve the murders. When
Daniels demands McNulty, Rawls is ultimately forced to transfer him out of marine patrol back to Daniels' unit. Rawls thus allows McNulty to be Daniels' responsibility, but will not let him any further back
262:
in a buy bust gone wrong, Rawls becomes personally involved in the investigation. His first action is to order all non-essential personnel, including Greggs' friends in her detail, to evacuate the crime scene. He later speaks to a distraught McNulty and while he again expresses his hatred for his
183:
meetings, a platform which he uses to bully and berate the commanders under his authority. He is a 'no-nonsense' leader who obstinately refuses to allow anything that might harm his career, regardless of benefit to the department. Little is disclosed of Rawls' personal life aside from incidental
423:
to slow the investigation down on Royce's behalf. He allows
Burrell's plan to proceed and, when it is leaked to the press, Burrell falls out of Royce's favor. Rawls tells Royce that he did not act differently as he is a loyal subordinate who always follows his boss's orders. Looking to replace
415:
Marimow's caustic leadership results in an immediate shutdown of the unit's drug-money tracing activities and a return to street level investigations. Rawls preempts a rebellion from
Freamon by threatening his colleagues and offering him a transfer back to Homicide and also facilitates Greggs'
445:
Carcetti is elected mayor and begins trying to make the department more productive. He observes the department and work and sees an unmotivated investigation unit and petty drug arrests and then comes to Rawls. When
Carcetti asks Rawls about the problems in the department, Rawls claims that
309:, Rawls signs off on every officer Daniels wants from his original Barksdale detail, except for McNulty. Rawls pressures Daniels to investigate the fourteen murders; Daniels initially refuses in order to keep the case simple, but later accepts due to persuasion from Freamon.
250:
Eventually, Daniels goes over Rawls' head and meets with
Burrell, convincing him to suspend the warrants. An infuriated Rawls demands that Santangelo either clear a case by day's end, inform on McNulty, or leave the unit altogether due to his low clearance rate. McNulty and
510:
Rawls' distinctive manner of intimidating subordinates is based on real-life
Baltimore CID commander Joe Cooke. Simon has also commented that Rawls' attitude towards the murder rate and his unit's clearance record is a product of the extreme pressure he is under.
486:
Rawls and
Burrell continue to manipulate their statistics, but Carcetti discovers the altered statistics, obtaining the political ammunition he has been waiting for to fire Burrell, and plans to move Rawls to acting commissioner while preparing
482:
severely strains the department by cutting their funding and failing to deliver on his promises to initiate change. Rawls has to deal with extremely low morale amongst all officers, and
Carcetti still expects him to have the crime rate reduced.
328:
meetings with the BPD's district commanders, Rawls relentlessly interrogates them about how they are handling crime rates in their respective jurisdictions. While Rawls berates several shift commanders over the season, he commends others like
438:. Rawls feeds this information to Carcetti so that he can recruit Watkins's support, and asks Carcetti to remember him if he is elected. Rawls then assures the election goes smoothly by interfering with the dead witness case, reassigning
291:. When thirteen dead women turn up in a cargo container at the ports, Rawls again tries to avoid responsibility for the investigation, and McNulty again finds proof that the deaths fell under Rawls' jurisdiction. Rawls has Sergeant
44:
466:
versa. The political irony of season 4 is that Rawls helped Carcetti beat Royce in the election with the Watkins information, when it's likely that Rawls would have been named Commissioner if Royce had been reelected.
362:
reveals Hamsterdam to his colleagues and superiors during a CompStat meeting Rawls publicly berates Colvin, but confides the following meeting with him and Burrell that it is "insane and illegal", but "brilliant".
1345:
283:
Rawls gets promoted to colonel, partly based on McNulty's work on the Barksdale case. When McNulty comes across a floater while on marine patrol, Rawls manages to convince the neighboring
344:, Rawls is shown briefly in the background, out of uniform and holding a drink, with a smile on his face and apparently at ease in the environment. This suggests that Rawls is likely a
201:
Rawls is a major and commanding officer of the Homicide Unit in Season 1. He is only concerned with maintaining the case clearance record of his unit, and is extremely demanding of his
462:
Rawls, allowing the promotion of Daniels from Major to Colonel at the Mayor's request. Daniels is the most apparent threat within the department to dethroning Burrell as Commissioner.
1285:
491:
to take over the post permanently. The transitions in the police department are officially announced at a press conference attended by Carcetti, Burrell, Rawls and Daniels.
1355:
458:
were up to him, he would focus on high end drug enforcement, a claim that Daniels (an African American commander who Rawls does view as "good police") does not believe.
366:
During the shutdown of Hamsterdam, Rawls personally orders the mobilization of the Quick Response Team (QRT) and drives into the thick of it with his car radio playing
263:
subordinate, he reassures him that he was not ultimately responsible for the shooting. When McNulty convinces Daniels to go around his superiors and try to involve the
1360:
424:
Burrell, Royce asks Rawls if he is ready to take command after Burrell's mistake, telling Rawls that if he fixes this situation, Royce will keep his actions on hand.
1365:
408:. Rawls suggests that Freamon is the most likely source of the problem and recommends that the unit get proper supervision. Rawls thus transfers hostile lieutenant
976:
1127:
999:
822:
382:, defying Colvin's request that no mass arrests occur and also denying Daniels a QRT unit for taking down the Barksdale organization.
284:
243:. Rawls wants to immediately issue a warrant for D'Angelo, but McNulty is wary since prematurely arresting him will tip off his uncle
210:
264:
453:
He states that to appease the voters and have a department that reflects the city's demographics, a 20% hike in the number of
582:
324:
With Burrell's promotion to Commissioner, Rawls is promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Operations in his place. During weekly
419:
Rawls displays his great political acumen when Burrell mistakenly assigns Greggs to the politically sensitive murder of a
1340:
272:
221:
966:
359:
879:
432:
316:
The fourteen murder cases prove to be a boon for Rawls, as Daniels' team clears all of them at the end of season two.
161:
134:
431:'s campaign for mayor. He receives word from a contact in Royce's security detail that the mayor has fallen out with
255:
save Santangelo by clearing one of his open cases while sending him on a trip to a phony gypsy named "Madame LaRue".
1350:
1260:
1037:
1291:
1188:
844:
1178:
718:
Scott and Joy Kecken (directors); Chris Collins (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) (January 20, 2008). "
73:
671:
Ernest Dickerson (director); William F. Zorzi (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) (January 13, 2008). "
1221:
1155:
989:
941:
495:
474:
Rawls continues to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Operations and begins to work amiably with Commissioner
292:
287:
that the case belongs to them. McNulty uses wind and tide charts to prove that the death occurred in Rawls'
233:
164:, eventually becoming Deputy Commissioner of Operations and, at the end of Season 5, Superintendent of the
1265:
1255:
1196:
815:
766:
499:
395:
372:
165:
61:
1042:
240:
295:
assign the case to Freamon and Bunk because he believes they are the best investigators in his squad.
770:
723:
676:
629:
586:
267:
in the Barksdale case, Rawls reassigns McNulty to the BPD's marine unit, replaces him with Detective
152:
84:
239:
McNulty placates Rawls by working several old murder cases, linking them all to the same gun and to
916:
719:
672:
1102:
1047:
888:
624:
Joe Chappelle (director); David Simon (story and teleplay), Ed Burns (story) (January 6, 2008). "
602:
447:
439:
409:
402:
581:
Ed Bianchi (director); Ed Burns (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) (November 28, 2004). "
420:
228:' Barksdale detail as they are the two "humps" he no longer wants. Santangelo is used as Rawls'
765:
Dan Attias (director); Ed Burns (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) (January 27, 2008). "
1317:
1298:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
808:
739:
692:
645:
1087:
454:
1234:
1229:
1112:
1062:
1052:
1027:
984:
926:
337:
502:
as a reward for his loyalty to Carcetti and his allowing Valchek to become commissioner.
355:, as he is married with a family, and disclosing such information could harm his career.
442:
and Greggs to election duty for the day as the department is 20 officers short of duty.
333:
on numerous occasions as the type of commander he sees as both dedicated and competent.
1239:
1211:
1168:
1163:
1077:
1012:
956:
951:
931:
911:
625:
488:
479:
428:
405:
378:
367:
330:
268:
247:
to their investigation. The detail persuades Daniels to fight Rawls' push for arrests.
244:
229:
225:
1334:
1145:
1135:
1082:
1072:
1057:
1017:
1007:
961:
906:
896:
475:
435:
306:
252:
217:
206:
1206:
1140:
1107:
1092:
1032:
946:
921:
288:
179:
When Rawls is promoted to Deputy Commissioner, he is put in charge of the weekly
1201:
1022:
901:
559:
341:
302:
259:
236:
to handle much of his communication with the men under his command in homicide.
532:
160:. Over the course of the series, Rawls ascends through the higher ranks of the
1173:
398:
157:
94:
48:
1067:
537:
299:
202:
172:
131:
Baltimore Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Operations (seasons 3–5)
43:
832:
391:
352:
345:
325:
185:
180:
33:
1117:
450:
and pressure from the mayor's office has made policing a numbers game.
1097:
216:
At the request for manpower and instruction of Deputy Commissioner
213:
to encourage further investigation of the Barksdale Organization.
804:
348:
147:
800:
494:
In the series finale, Rawls is seen being sworn in as the
416:
transfer from the MCU to Homicide as a favor for Daniels.
603:"Character profile - Deputy Commissioner William Rawls"
376:, echoing the renowned helicopter scene from the film
533:"Everything you were afraid to ask about "The Wire""
1278:
1248:
1220:
1187:
1154:
1126:
998:
975:
887:
878:
123:
113:
105:
100:
90:
80:
68:
56:
26:
298:When Daniels' detail is re-formed to investigate
1346:Fictional Baltimore Police Department detectives
744:episode guide - episode 53 Not for Attribution"
697:episode guide - episode 52 Uncomfirmed Reports"
129:Baltimore Police Department Colonel (season 2)
816:
8:
127:Baltimore Police Department Major (season 1)
390:Rawls is Burrell's first port of call when
232:in the Barksdale detail. Rawls relies upon
884:
823:
809:
801:
650:episode guide - episode 51 More with Less"
42:
340:sends Lamar into a gay bar to search for
1356:Television characters introduced in 2002
1361:Fictional LGBT characters in television
520:
1366:American male characters in television
394:issued by the Major Crimes Unit upset
23:
526:
524:
7:
258:Following the shooting of Detective
285:Baltimore County Police Department
271:, and transfers Santangelo to the
14:
1313:
1312:
146:is a fictional character on the
427:Rawls also endears himself to
137:/MSP Superintendent (season 5)
1:
791:"The Target" commentary track
531:Kois, Dan (October 1, 2004).
591:. Season 3. Episode 10. HBO.
775:. Season 5. Episode 4. HBO.
728:. Season 5. Episode 3. HBO.
681:. Season 5. Episode 2. HBO.
634:. Season 5. Episode 1. HBO.
162:Baltimore Police Department
135:Baltimore Police Department
133:Acting Commissioner of the
1382:
1261:Omar Little and associates
220:, Rawls sends McNulty and
1308:
1292:And All the Pieces Matter
840:
41:
31:
313:into the Homicide Unit.
144:William A. "Bill" Rawls
101:In-universe information
16:Character from The Wire
1286:Awards and nominations
1266:Stanfield Organization
1256:Barksdale Organization
560:"Org Chart - The Law"
500:Maryland State Police
373:Ride of the Valkyries
360:Howard "Bunny" Colvin
234:Sergeant Jay Landsman
188:, wife and children.
166:Maryland State Police
786:David Simon (2005).
117:Acting Commissioner
1341:The Wire characters
917:Roland Pryzbylewski
720:Not for Attribution
673:Unconfirmed Reports
275:as a beat officer.
205:. He is upset when
21:Fictional character
1043:D'Angelo Barksdale
448:affirmative action
241:D'Angelo Barksdale
222:Michael Santangelo
156:, played by actor
119:MSP Superintendent
1351:Fictional gay men
1328:
1327:
1299:Beyond Hamsterdam
1274:
1273:
412:to head the MCU.
184:allusions to his
141:
140:
1373:
1316:
1315:
885:
825:
818:
811:
802:
795:
794:
783:
777:
776:
762:
756:
755:
753:
751:
736:
730:
729:
715:
709:
708:
706:
704:
689:
683:
682:
668:
662:
661:
659:
657:
642:
636:
635:
621:
615:
614:
612:
610:
599:
593:
592:
578:
572:
571:
569:
567:
556:
550:
549:
547:
545:
528:
455:African American
273:Western District
209:bypasses him to
57:First appearance
51:as William Rawls
46:
27:William A. Rawls
24:
1381:
1380:
1376:
1375:
1374:
1372:
1371:
1370:
1331:
1330:
1329:
1324:
1304:
1270:
1244:
1235:Scott Templeton
1230:Augustus Haynes
1216:
1183:
1150:
1122:
1113:Brother Mouzone
1063:Proposition Joe
1028:Marlo Stanfield
994:
985:Rhonda Pearlman
971:
874:
836:
829:
799:
798:
785:
784:
780:
764:
763:
759:
749:
747:
738:
737:
733:
717:
716:
712:
702:
700:
691:
690:
686:
670:
669:
665:
655:
653:
644:
643:
639:
623:
622:
618:
608:
606:
601:
600:
596:
580:
579:
575:
565:
563:
558:
557:
553:
543:
541:
530:
529:
522:
517:
508:
472:
421:state's witness
410:Charles Marimow
388:
338:Brother Mouzone
322:
281:
199:
194:
132:
130:
128:
118:
69:Last appearance
52:
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1379:
1377:
1369:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1333:
1332:
1326:
1325:
1323:
1322:
1309:
1306:
1305:
1303:
1302:
1295:
1288:
1282:
1280:
1276:
1275:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1252:
1250:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1242:
1240:Alma Gutierrez
1237:
1232:
1226:
1224:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1214:
1212:Randy Wagstaff
1209:
1204:
1199:
1193:
1191:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1169:Clarence Royce
1166:
1164:Tommy Carcetti
1160:
1158:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1132:
1130:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1078:Sergei Malatov
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1013:Avon Barksdale
1010:
1004:
1002:
996:
995:
993:
992:
987:
981:
979:
973:
972:
970:
969:
964:
959:
957:Beadie Russell
954:
952:Leander Sydnor
949:
944:
939:
934:
932:Cedric Daniels
929:
924:
919:
914:
912:Lester Freamon
909:
904:
899:
893:
891:
882:
876:
875:
873:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
841:
838:
837:
830:
828:
827:
820:
813:
805:
797:
796:
778:
757:
731:
710:
684:
663:
637:
626:More with Less
616:
594:
573:
551:
519:
518:
516:
513:
507:
504:
496:Superintendent
489:Cedric Daniels
480:Tommy Carcetti
471:
468:
433:State Delegate
429:Tommy Carcetti
406:Clarence Royce
387:
384:
379:Apocalypse Now
368:Richard Wagner
321:
318:
280:
277:
269:Lester Freamon
226:Cedric Daniels
198:
195:
193:
190:
139:
138:
125:
121:
120:
115:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
82:
78:
77:
70:
66:
65:
58:
54:
53:
47:
39:
38:
29:
28:
20:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1378:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1321:
1320:
1311:
1310:
1307:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1294:
1293:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1277:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1247:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1223:
1219:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1190:
1186:
1180:
1179:Norman Wilson
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1157:
1153:
1147:
1146:Ziggy Sobotka
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1136:Frank Sobotka
1134:
1133:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1083:Chris Partlow
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1073:Spiros Vondas
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1058:Bodie Broadus
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1018:Wee-Bey Brice
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1008:Stringer Bell
1006:
1005:
1003:
1001:
997:
991:
988:
986:
983:
982:
980:
978:
974:
968:
965:
963:
962:Ervin Burrell
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
907:Bunk Moreland
905:
903:
900:
898:
897:Jimmy McNulty
895:
894:
892:
890:
886:
883:
881:
877:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
842:
839:
835:
834:
826:
821:
819:
814:
812:
807:
806:
803:
792:
788:
782:
779:
774:
773:
768:
761:
758:
745:
743:
735:
732:
727:
726:
721:
714:
711:
698:
696:
688:
685:
680:
679:
674:
667:
664:
651:
649:
641:
638:
633:
632:
627:
620:
617:
604:
598:
595:
590:
589:
584:
577:
574:
561:
555:
552:
540:
539:
534:
527:
525:
521:
514:
512:
505:
503:
501:
497:
492:
490:
484:
481:
478:again. Mayor
477:
476:Ervin Burrell
469:
467:
463:
459:
456:
451:
449:
443:
441:
437:
436:Odell Watkins
434:
430:
425:
422:
417:
413:
411:
407:
404:
400:
397:
396:State Senator
393:
385:
383:
381:
380:
375:
374:
369:
364:
361:
356:
354:
350:
347:
343:
339:
334:
332:
327:
319:
317:
314:
310:
308:
307:Frank Sobotka
304:
301:
296:
294:
290:
286:
278:
276:
274:
270:
266:
261:
256:
254:
253:Bunk Moreland
248:
246:
242:
237:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
218:Ervin Burrell
214:
212:
208:
207:Jimmy McNulty
204:
196:
191:
189:
187:
182:
177:
174:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
154:
149:
145:
136:
126:
122:
116:
112:
108:
104:
99:
96:
93:
89:
86:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
50:
45:
40:
36:
35:
30:
25:
19:
1318:
1297:
1290:
1207:Namond Brice
1141:Nick Sobotka
1108:Johnny Weeks
1093:Monk Metcalf
1033:Slim Charles
990:Maurice Levy
967:Bunny Colvin
947:Stan Valchek
942:Jay Landsman
936:
922:Ellis Carver
831:
790:
787:
781:
771:
760:
748:. Retrieved
741:
734:
724:
713:
701:. Retrieved
694:
687:
677:
666:
654:. Retrieved
647:
640:
630:
619:
607:. Retrieved
597:
587:
576:
564:. Retrieved
554:
542:. Retrieved
536:
509:
493:
485:
473:
464:
460:
452:
444:
426:
418:
414:
389:
377:
371:
365:
357:
335:
323:
315:
311:
297:
293:Jay Landsman
289:jurisdiction
282:
257:
249:
238:
215:
211:Judge Phelan
200:
178:
170:
151:
143:
142:
91:Portrayed by
32:
18:
1222:Journalists
1202:Dukie Weems
1197:Michael Lee
1156:Politicians
1023:Omar Little
902:Kima Greggs
793:(DVD). HBO.
767:Transitions
750:January 22,
746:. HBO. 2008
703:January 22,
699:. HBO. 2008
656:January 22,
652:. HBO. 2008
605:. HBO. 2004
583:Reformation
562:. HBO. 2004
544:February 8,
342:Omar Little
260:Kima Greggs
85:David Simon
1335:Categories
1174:Clay Davis
1128:Stevedores
1038:Cutty Wise
937:Bill Rawls
880:Characters
515:References
399:Clay Davis
230:inside man
203:detectives
158:John Doman
124:Occupation
95:John Doman
81:Created by
62:The Target
49:John Doman
1068:The Greek
1000:Criminals
538:Salon.com
440:Ed Norris
392:subpoenas
300:stevedore
192:Biography
186:sexuality
173:careerism
37:character
1319:Category
1189:Students
833:The Wire
789:The Wire
772:The Wire
742:The Wire
725:The Wire
695:The Wire
678:The Wire
648:The Wire
631:The Wire
609:July 22,
588:The Wire
566:July 22,
470:Season 5
386:Season 4
353:bisexual
346:closeted
326:CompStat
320:Season 3
279:Season 2
197:Season 1
153:The Wire
76:" (2008)
64:" (2002)
34:The Wire
1279:Related
1118:Butchie
1103:Bubbles
1048:Wallace
977:Lawyers
845:Seasons
506:Origins
498:of the
331:Daniels
305:leader
224:to Lt.
181:ComStat
1098:Kenard
889:Police
150:drama
106:Gender
1249:Other
1088:Snoop
403:Mayor
358:When
336:When
303:union
114:Title
1053:Poot
927:Herc
752:2008
705:2008
658:2008
611:2006
568:2006
546:2021
401:and
245:Avon
171:His
109:Male
74:–30–
769:".
722:".
675:".
628:".
585:".
370:'s
351:or
349:gay
265:FBI
148:HBO
1337::
535:.
523:^
168:.
870:5
865:4
860:3
855:2
850:1
824:e
817:t
810:v
754:.
740:"
707:.
693:"
660:.
646:"
613:.
570:.
548:.
72:"
60:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
