The Rookie

Previously on "The Rookie"...I'm gonna give you my car.

What's the catch?You have to keep checking in

with me until you're off the street, or no deal.

-Thanks. -Hey!

I am hereby placing you under administrative leave.

Gun and badge.

Guys like Doug Stanton should not be training

our next generation.

If you had your college degree,

you would be able to be T.O. in two years.

Looks like I'm going back to school.

Thanks for letting me do my laundry here.

I swear my cousin's dryer is possessed.

Any time.

Plus, it means I get to make sure

you have avegetable this month.

I told you -- all the cool kids are getting scurvy.

Mm-hmm. Listen --

I have to write a paper for school

about gender roles in the workplace,

and I'm supposed to interview someone

who's working a job that was traditionally considered male.

And you want to interview...me?

If you're not busy.

I would be honored.

If you're gonna make this weird, I'll just ask someone else.

No! I'm in. We can --

We can do it after dinner tonight.

I still have to get the questions together.

Okay. Well, how about tomorrow night?

I could pick you up after my shift?

I should be done on time for once.

My sergeant has us doing site security

for the CCOA convention.

It's the California Covert Operators Association.

Undercover cops have a convention?

Yeah. At a hotel, if you can believe it.

And it's advertised on their website, so...

Well, sounds like the opposite of covert.

Yeah, that's what I said.

But I guess it's a space for them to share trade secrets.

And party on the city's dime.

While we make sure no bad guys get close enough

to ID an undercover cop.

Well, sadly, I'll be missing the fun

because I'll be working the Community Policing Center

with Smitty tomorrow.

Ah. Only 10 more days until no more T.O.s.

Mm.

Hey.

I thought you were starting college classes tonight.

Nolan: I'm actually just about to head into

my Ethics and Criminal Law class.

But I'm having second thoughts about

identifying myself as a police officer.

I mean, I should, right?

That's...not helpful.

Why shouldn't you?

Because it'll isolate him right away.

You think I introduce myself as homeless at school?

Unless you want the class to be about you,

I'd keep your head downand blend in.

Good evening. I'm Professor Ryan,

and this is Ethics and Criminal Justice.

Now, tell me, what do those words make you think?

That...the two don't gotogether. Why?

Because the criminal justice system is inherently biased,

designed to punish poor people and people of color.

Okay, so if that's a problem, what is a solution?

Defund the police, for starters.

Anyone disagree?

Uh, well, I don't think it's quite that simple --

just defunding the police.

Defunding doesn't mean get rid of cops.

It means stop prioritizing them

over people they're supposed to serve.

Yeah, no, I appreciate that, and I agree.

I think a lot more money needs to be invested in communities,

but it will take time for those investments

to effect any realchange.

If we drastically cut policing before that happens,

it would leave people unprotected.

It can't be worse than it is now.

Sure, it can.

Don't you agree?

Oh, I'm not here to agree or to pick sides.

Ethics are often at odds with the law.

What's right and what is legal

are very often all too different.

And that tension is what we are here to explore.

And it is going to get uncomfortable,

so y'all better strap in.

By then, the class had ended,

and I still hadn't identified myself.

Did I make a mistake?

I can't answer that for you.

As a cop, you have to judge social situations

on a case-by-case basis.

I just hate the feeling like I'm hiding something.

Allof these people can't be undercover cops, can they?

Okay, so, think of the undercover world

like high school, right?

So, first, you have your UCs.

They are like the star quarterbacks.

No undercover operation can happen without them,

and they know it.

They take the most risk,

and they reap the most reward.

Meaning? They get laid.

A lot. Oh.

Then you have your Case Officers.

They're like the debate team.

They think they're smarter than everyone else,

and they see themselves as puppet masters

who use UCs as just a tool in their kit.

I'm guessing they don't get laid near as much.

Correct. Then you have your Tech Squad.

They're like the hackers.

They basically aresmarter than everyone else,

but they have a real criminal streak.

They commit legal burglaries and break-ins,

planting cameras and bugs.

Finally, you have your Freshmen.

They're easily identifiable. Just off patrol.

Still at that awkward stage

of trying to let their hair grow out,

where they're mullet-adjacent.

So youwere a star quarterback.

Oh, baby, I was the Heisman Trophy.

Lucy: Alright, thanks. You're good to go.

Hey, do you work the convention every year?

No. L.A. hasn't hosted onein a long time.

But I did go with Isabel once.

What kind of classes do they teach?

No idea.

Patrol isn't allowed to know UC trade secrets.

So I just ordered room service,worked on my tan.

Bradford!Mack!

Ugh! You bastard! You get prettier with age.

Yeah, and you're stillthe same part Neanderthal.

Lucy Chen, Mack Daniels.

Hey, how are you?

Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.

Beth, how are the kids?

Oh, uh, this is actually, uh, my friend Candace.

Candace: Hi. Mack's right. You are pretty.

Uh, Chen, why don't you goand get Candace's info?

Yeah. Mack, come on over here, bud.

Uh-oh. Am I in trouble?

If you wanna run around on Beth,that's your business.

But did you really expect menot to notice?

Notice what?Your pupils, man.

They're pinpoints.

You're looking 5-50. What are you on?

It's just a little Oxy. Okay?

Relax, I got a prescription.

Jacked up my shoulder on the jobabout a month back.

Pain's a, uh, mother.

Mack! I got a spa appointment.

I gotta go.

Hey, it's good seeing you, bro.

Yeah. You, too.

He seems...nice.

Yeah, believe it or not,he used to be

the most clean-cut guyI ever met.

James, it's good to see you.

Am I, uh, still on for

Aaron and Michael tutoringtomorrow night?

Just Aaron. Michael has drama club.

That boy's such a ham.I love him.

Who's this?This is Silas.

Silas, good to meet you.

I'm, uh, Jackson, and this is Smitty.

Jackson. Last name West.

Badge number, please? For my records.

3-3-3-5-6.

Badge number?

2-8-7-1-7.

First name, please.

Smitty's sufficient.

Silas is the eyes and earsof the neighborhood.

He does a daily patrol, gives me a heads-up

on problems that need fixing.

Anything we should know about?

Well, City Sanitation neglected to empty

the Dumpster in front of Matteo's Deli.

That will attract rodents.

And a Cadet Blue 1978 Dodge Aspen

is blocking Sally Nelson's driveway,

and she has work at 10:00.

Kid would make a good CI.

Forget it.

Silas is here becausehe wants to help his neighbors,

not make it easierfor you to hassle them.

Of course. That's notwhat we're looking for.

Look, I can call the cityand have them tow away the Aspen

so Sally can get to work.

Is there anything else we can help you with?

Um, I've actually made a list of potholes,

and they can cause accidents, car damage.