Chief Jack Mannion
Encyclopedia
Jack Mannion is the chief protagonist of the television show The District
. In the series, Mannion is the Chief of Police in the District of Columbia. Mannion is named after, and is loosely based on, real-life New York City deputy police commissioner Jack Maple
, who helped create the series. He is portrayed by Craig T. Nelson
.
, since him pursuing a certain criminal often conflicts with their interest in some way.
, Mannion hand-picked an elite crew of law enforcers, with the intent of cleaning up the streets of Washington. Among these were Deputy Chief Joe Noland (an African-American who was in the running for Mannion's job); Ella Farmer, an Agcomputer statistics analysis expert, Temple Page, an African-American Officer/Detective, Officer Nancy Parras, Detective Kevin Debino (he replaced Detective Danny MacGregor who was killed by a car bomb), and Sgt. Phil Brander. The character Mannion utilizes COMSTAT
, a Geographical Information System (GIS) that tracks/maps crime by analyzing statistics that predict possible hot spots of criminal activity in order to more effectively fight crime. (COMSTAT was a program Jack Maple had created during his time in the NYPD.)
. Mannion also has a dog named Cujo.
Mannion is a veteran of the Vietnam War
and a former transit cop. From time to time in the television series, Jack's ex-wife, Sherry Regan pops in and out of his life (they have an off-and on romance despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences - Sherry hates his profession because it's so dangerous and always feared that one day Jack wouldn't come home). Before divorcing, Mannion and Regan had two grown children: Jack Jr., who has a drug problem and their daughter, Beth who suffers from depression. She is a Rock and Roll
roadie. Mannion was once asked "When do you see her?", Mannion replies "When she needs money." Mannion's love interest at the end of the series was Vanessa Cavenaugh, a civil rights attorney.
The character is portrayed as a tough "man of the people" and enjoys opera, old movies (he sometimes makes references to them, usually in comical fashion) and "Jiffy Bars", a chocolate-covered rice-crisp. Jack Mannion is known for his wild shoes, some of which are two toned.
who escaped from prison and shoots Jack on his boat, The Betty-O. Wounded, Jack falls overboard into the Potomac River. A full-out manhunt ensues to find the Chief as a group of forensic types and cops scour the Betty-O for clues as to the Chief's whereabouts. Eventually, the Chief washes ashore with a bullet wound in his chest. After a slight bout with amnesia and confusion, Mannion hunts down his would-be assassins and then once again takes up residence on the Betty-O. The Chief later sold his boat to an old cop buddy who sailed the Betty-O off into the sunset to spend his retirement years on the ocean waves. Jack relocated to an inner city apartment to be close to the "People" after he was fired (then reluctantly rehired) by the Mayor.
The District
The District is a television police drama which aired on CBS from October 7, 2000 to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and personal life of the chief of Washington, D.C.'s Police Department .-Premise:...
. In the series, Mannion is the Chief of Police in the District of Columbia. Mannion is named after, and is loosely based on, real-life New York City deputy police commissioner Jack Maple
Jack Maple
Jack Maple served New York City as the Deputy Police Commissioner for Crime Control Strategies. He created the CompStat methodology of crime fighting and law enforcement strategy...
, who helped create the series. He is portrayed by Craig T. Nelson
Craig T. Nelson
Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is probably best known for his Emmy-winning roles as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, and as Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist. He also starred in The Incredibles in 2004 as Mr...
.
Manner and methods
Mannion is firm believer that all laws should be enforced and that nobody is exempt from them, including himself (he, for example, once insisted that an officer give him a traffic ticket). This puts him into conflict with nearly every politicianPolitician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, since him pursuing a certain criminal often conflicts with their interest in some way.
Mannion's team
Upon his arrival in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Mannion hand-picked an elite crew of law enforcers, with the intent of cleaning up the streets of Washington. Among these were Deputy Chief Joe Noland (an African-American who was in the running for Mannion's job); Ella Farmer, an Agcomputer statistics analysis expert, Temple Page, an African-American Officer/Detective, Officer Nancy Parras, Detective Kevin Debino (he replaced Detective Danny MacGregor who was killed by a car bomb), and Sgt. Phil Brander. The character Mannion utilizes COMSTAT
CompStat
CompStat—or COMPSTAT— is the name given to the New York City Police Department's accountability process and has since been replicated in many other departments...
, a Geographical Information System (GIS) that tracks/maps crime by analyzing statistics that predict possible hot spots of criminal activity in order to more effectively fight crime. (COMSTAT was a program Jack Maple had created during his time in the NYPD.)
Personal life
Chief Mannion lives on the fictional "Betty-O", a restored white tugboat berthed at the Washington Channel Marina (6042) Slip 38. Mannion transported the Betty-O from up North where he previously worked in Boston, Massachusetts, and Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Mannion also has a dog named Cujo.
Mannion is a veteran of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and a former transit cop. From time to time in the television series, Jack's ex-wife, Sherry Regan pops in and out of his life (they have an off-and on romance despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences - Sherry hates his profession because it's so dangerous and always feared that one day Jack wouldn't come home). Before divorcing, Mannion and Regan had two grown children: Jack Jr., who has a drug problem and their daughter, Beth who suffers from depression. She is a Rock and Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
roadie. Mannion was once asked "When do you see her?", Mannion replies "When she needs money." Mannion's love interest at the end of the series was Vanessa Cavenaugh, a civil rights attorney.
The character is portrayed as a tough "man of the people" and enjoys opera, old movies (he sometimes makes references to them, usually in comical fashion) and "Jiffy Bars", a chocolate-covered rice-crisp. Jack Mannion is known for his wild shoes, some of which are two toned.
Storylines
In 2002, Mannion is surprised by Erin Vratalov (Alla Korot), the daughter of a Russian mobsterRussian Mafia
The Russian Mafia is a name applied to organized crime syndicates in Russia and Ukraine. The mafia in various countries take the name of the country, as for example the Ukrainian mafia....
who escaped from prison and shoots Jack on his boat, The Betty-O. Wounded, Jack falls overboard into the Potomac River. A full-out manhunt ensues to find the Chief as a group of forensic types and cops scour the Betty-O for clues as to the Chief's whereabouts. Eventually, the Chief washes ashore with a bullet wound in his chest. After a slight bout with amnesia and confusion, Mannion hunts down his would-be assassins and then once again takes up residence on the Betty-O. The Chief later sold his boat to an old cop buddy who sailed the Betty-O off into the sunset to spend his retirement years on the ocean waves. Jack relocated to an inner city apartment to be close to the "People" after he was fired (then reluctantly rehired) by the Mayor.