Adam-12 (1968)/Excessive Force

Excessive Force
Season 7, Episode 8
Airdate	December 3, 1974
Written by	R.J. Wagar
Directed by	Lawrence Doheny
Produced by	Tom Williams
← 7x07 Earthquake	7x09 → Alcohol
Adam-12 — Season Seven

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Excessive Force is the eighth episode of the seventh season of Adam-12, and the one hundred fifty-eighth episode overall.

Malloy is reminded of a lesson to not become emotionally involved in cases when he takes a sex offender into custody, after a girl who was reported missing is found at his home. When Malloy roughs up the suspect and the suspect files a complaint, it could result in stern consequences for the Malloy.

Starring: Martin Milner (Officer Pete Malloy), Kent McCord (Officer Jim Reed)

with William Boyett (Sgt. MacDonald), Sandy Kenyon (Jack Tennison), Joan Freeman (Mrs. Suntor), Paul Xavier Gleason (John Suntor), Art Gilmore (Captain Moore), Fred Stromsoe (Officer Woods), Arnold Turner (Officer Snyder), Elizabeth Kerr (Lady)

and Sidney Miller (Man in Sewer)

Uncredited: Shaaron Claridge (Dispatcher)

Plot Overview

An episode that began with a comedy situation – a man losing his balance and somehow falling into a storm drain while attempting to retrieve his wallet – and Reed and Malloy talking about potential promotion opportunities, takes a very dark turn.

A 6-year-old girl with a red sweater had gone missing, and her mother is frantic because she knows she wouldn't just wander off by herself. When the officers have few leads, they decide to canvass the neighborhood. Eventually, Malloy knocks on the door of the home of Jack Tennison, a neighbor who peeks out the window and tries to hide and pretend he's not home, but Malloy gets him to answer. The conversation is cordial enough ... until Malloy notices a red sweater strewn aside in the front room and asks about it. Tennison realizes that Malloy knows something – possibly that he has the little girl inside – and begins to run, with Malloy in pursuit and Reed calling for medical assistance. Eventually, Malloy catches Tennison and tackles him to the ground.

Then the moment that could mark a turn in Malloy's career: The perp says some truly horrible things about his crime and how the little girl actually wanted whatever he did to her. That really makes Malloy unhappy, and he twists his arm too hard, puts the handcuffs on too tight and nearly breaks the man's wrist. Reed witnesses this and tells Malloy to knock it off, a twist from the early days of the show where a then-rookie Reed had to be reminded to calm down in stressful situations. This does little to calm Tennison, who wants to file a complaint against Malloy ... and he does!

Mac questions Malloy, and Malloy admits everything that happened without question. He knows that it could really damage his aspirations to become sergeant someday, which was next on his list of goals as a law enforcement officer. He also knows Reed won't back down and will have to give a statement saying what he witnessed.

In the end, Captain Moore gives Malloy a four-day unpaid suspension, but tells him he is one of the most promising candidates for sergeant that he has seen recently. He also reminds Malloy the same thing he (Moore) once had to teach him, about keeping his temper in check, even with perps like Tennison.

In the end, Malloy is told the little girl had gone to the hospital, and that surgery on her injuries was successful.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Malloy is thinking about career advancement and his potential future as sergeant. While this episode's events likely put a temporary block on his goals, the 1990 Adam-12 revival (featuring Martin Milner as special guest) had Malloy as a captain ... suggesting that indeed he did eventually become a sergeant. Also, later Season 7 episodes has Malloy as a desk sergeant and watch commander, often in Mac's absence. (Incidentally, Reed would be a lieutenant by the time of the 1990 revival, as revealed in an episode guest-starring Kent McCord.)