MovieChat Forums > The Presidio (1988) Discussion > Timeline goof.

Timeline goof.

posted 10 years ago by movies789
7 replies | jump to latest

In the short time Mark Harmon's character could have been gone from the Presidio (i.e. with his ex-partner, ex-commanding officer, and other ex-associates still assigned there), there's no way he'd have made Detective with the San Francisco Police Department. His Military Police experience would have helped him get hired as a entry-level police officer, but it wouldn't have fast-tracked him to Detective. He'd have had to spend years as an officer before having any hope of promotion to Detective - let alone of amassing experience as the seasoned, journeyman, SFPD detective he's purported to be. By that point, ALL of the military personnel he'd known at the Presidio would have been long since reassigned or discharged.

[–] Judger 10 years ago

Wrong because he was in the Police force for many years before joining the military and had connections when he went back

His father was one of the most famous detectives in the history of the SF Police force and pulled some strings to help his career. He only left the force to join the military because he had a falling out with his Dad, but later reconciled.

That's the back story.
The postscript is that it turns out that the Colonel's daughter (Meg Ryan) was actually adopted. Her birth father was Austin's father and so they are brother and sister.

However, they are truly in love and they stay together and start a family. When Austin's Dad finds out the truth that they had kept from him, he commits a murder suicide, leaving Austin's triplets to be raised by their grandfather the Colonel.

I was born in the house my father built

[–] BubbaDank80 8 years ago

Technically speaking, the colonel wouldn't be their actual grandfather which is the reason the triplets grew up to get ptostitutes. One drunken night, the colonel told the pre-teen look alikes the truth about their mother and father. They didn't handle it all so well and turned to drugs and prostitution. Sad story really. They all had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls.

[–] darkavenger77 8 years ago

there's no way he'd have made Detective with the San Francisco Police Department

He was never a detective, as the SFPD uses Inspectors to investigate crimes.

Ignoring politics doesn't mean politics will ignore you.
-Pericles paraphrased in <100 characters

[–] movies789 8 years ago

"He was never a detective, as the SFPD uses Inspectors to investigate crimes."

That's what we call a distinction without a difference. Like saying "He wasn't a detective; he was an investigator", or "He wasn't a man; he was an adult male".

And it doesn't quite address the point of the post, does it.

Droll observation, though; hang in there.

[–] darkavenger77 8 years ago

That's what we call a distinction without a difference.

That's what you call it. For those that have worked in law enforcement, the distinction makes a difference.

IMO, if you're going to take the time to post info, take the time to do so correctly. Airmen, soldiers, sailors, and marines are all military people, yet the terms are not interchangeable- just ask any of them. As another example, FBI agents are law enforcement officers that investigate crimes, but they are not called detectives.

As for the first part of your topic, having worked for several decades in law enforcement, the speed of promotions can vary widely between agencies. In a smaller agency it may take a long time to promote since there are not many positions. If the agency has little turnover, then this makes promoting quickly even more unlikely. In a larger one such as the SFPD, there are usually time in grade requirements before promoting. The agency I worked for (2K officers) required 1-3 years in grade for promotions, with the 3 year requirement for supervisory or investigative tracks. After that, it was 1 year in grade.

Presuming the SFPD of the 80's used something similar, it would be possible to become an Inspector in 3-4 years. In my experience, prior honorable military experience would be considered a favorable condition for hiring and promoting an employee.

Mark Harmon was born in 1951, so presuming his character was about the same age, by 37 he could have gone to school for 4 years (18-22), served 4 years in the military (23-27), then joined the police force in patrol for 4 years (28-32) and have had 5 years of being an Inspector. While it's not the same as a 20 year man, it's still long enough to qualify as a veteran Inspector. In big cities you gain experience in a hurry. If he didn't go to college, then that's 9 years of being an Inspector.

While I could not find time in grade requirements for an Inspector on the SFPD site, this site:
http://www.detectiveedu.org/california/san-francisco/
says 2 years are required before promoting from patrol to either Sergeant or Detective (they also missed the proper title ). This means you could be hired at 21 and be an Inspector at 23. Using that info, minimal college (2 years or 18-20), and minimal military time (2 years 21-23), he could have had up to 12 years in grade as an Inspector.

As for the military people, using the above timelines he would have been out of the service for about 10-14 years. I'm not well-versed in military turnover, so reassignment or discharge of the military people over that span of time may or may not be plausible. I think Connery's character as a Lt. Colonel was certainly plausible.

Ignoring politics doesn't mean politics will ignore you.
-Pericles paraphrased in <100 characters

[–] movies789 8 years ago

Your last paragraph says it all: You're utterly unfamiliar with the realities of military turnover, which is what the original post was all about. Sorry to have kept you up all night schlepping through Wikipedia; do get some sleep.

[–] Reedmalloy 8 years ago

All the malarkey in the thread notwithstanding, your point is well-taken. As both a military cop and a career civilian cop if flyover country, I agree. We're talking likelihoods here.

It seems to me the script is trying to establish both as experts in their fields. Caldwell's back story as a combat decorated MP with multiple CIB awards is very unlikely. Transferring from a promising Infantry officer to the MPs as a career move (unlike the dastardly Lawrence, whose CIB as a Military Intelligence bottlecap colonel has some credibility) would seem to indicate a dud, not an ace.

Similarly, Jay's assignment as a homicide investigator on a major metropolitan PD implies a great deal of savvy (or pull), particularly in investigating a cop-killing. The timeline is not there to establish that. Being an effective investigator requires a great deal of people skills, street experience and respect/fear from the quarry. Young cops simply don't garner that overnight, no matter how smart or educated they are.