Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Return of the Prodigal Son (2021)

Demore Barnes: Deputy Chief Christian Garland

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Quotes 

• Deputy Chief Christian Garland : I heard what happened. How's the victim?

  Olivia Benson : Seriously injured, but hanging on. So you know, the victim is the wife of my former partner, Detective Elliot Stabler.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : So I was told. I thought he left the force.

  Olivia Benson : He did, but apparently he's NYPD's man in Rome now.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Any idea why he's in town?

  Olivia Benson : Department meetings, I don't know.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Local precinct on the scene?

  Olivia Benson : They are, and they're doing everything they can, but you know there was a riot tonight.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : I'm aware. Cops were targeted. Uh, were the Stablers driving an NYPD vehicle?

  Olivia Benson : It was a rental, and, um... I'm close with the family. I was hoping that we could take the lead on this.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Family. He's got kids?

  Olivia Benson : Five. I've known them all since they were in diapers.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : I'll put a call in to 1PP.

  Olivia Benson : Thank you.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : To be clear, you're running the investigation, not him.

  Olivia Benson : Of course.

• Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Your former partner always this aggressive? He shouldn't have even been in the precinct.

  Olivia Benson : This is on me.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : It is. My sense from his affect and his record, this is a cop who's used to taking things over the line and getting away with it.

  Olivia Benson : You went through his record?

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Multiple firearm discharges, six fatal shootings, and I'm still going through the IAB logs. Disposition on multiple charges, oh, and referred for counseling.

  Olivia Benson : We were both referred.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Why did he resign from the force? There's no official reason.

  Olivia Benson : His last shooting was a 16-year-old girl who brought a gun into the stationhouse, and, you know, my guess... my guess is that, uh, he just didn't want to go through the hoops; IAB interviews, counseling. He was done.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : Guess? Come on, he didn't tell you?

  Olivia Benson : We never spoke after he left. Look, he got too rough back in the day... but it wasn't just testosterone. It was because he cared so much.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : And he was your first partner, the one who had your back. You were his junior when there weren't that many female detectives. I get it.

  Olivia Benson : Chief, I'm not making excuses for him, and I'm not apologizing for him, but I believe that he changed.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : I hope so. Forgive me if I have my doubts. A grunt former marine, a night college degree, and a CPI like this? He goes off the grid for six years, and somehow the old boy network got him back on the force.

  Olivia Benson : Because he's a good detective.

  Deputy Chief Christian Garland : And lucky. It wouldn't happen today. Look, we can agree to disagree about his evolution, but to be clear again, I will not have this behavior in one of my captain's squad rooms.