How did trooper Brown not recognise Billy costigan? ? He trained with him, sat behind him, had conversations whilst running. Yet when investigating frank and his gang of maybe 10 people he can't spot him. He needs to be demoted immediately
There was no secret that he was in the academy. Costello and everyone else knew it. Costigan's story was he got kicked out and then was involved in crime. Costello tested him many times by breaking his arm, giving him false information, etc. As well as he knew his relatives from the area and trusted him.
I don't remember but did Brown say he didn't know who he was?
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No he didn't deny or confirm that he knew him (up on the roof). He was inclined to hear Costigan out, but was insistent that he lower his gun and let Sullivan go. Costigan wouldn't do that, so we never know how it would've played out between Costigan and Brown.
shareHe was inclined to hear Costigan out, but was insistent that he lower his gun and let Sullivan go
Yeah, I agree. Just given all that Costigan had been through and seen, he wasn't in a trusting state of mind (to say the least). Plus, by Brown even being there Costigan probably had reason to believe Brown was part of Sullivan's unit at least and maybe even dirty too. I don't think Costigan suspected Brown being dirty, but he also knows the deck is stacked against him, in that moment at least for sure. His only leverage- and only way to hold onto his leverage- was to keep ahold, literally, of Sullivan.
In hindsight it seems like a fatally flawed plan to begin with. A disgraced cop and felon- so far as anyone knows- making a citizens arrest on a fast rising hotshot detective with a clean record.
I don't think Costigan suspected Brown being dirty, but he also knows the deck is stacked against him, in that moment at least for sure.
In hindsight it seems like a fatally flawed plan to begin with.
Yeah, I forgot about that. He said "I called you". Forgot all about that being the reason he was even there. So that makes it seem like a much more thought out action than I was recalling.
I believe Dignam had just gone off the grid. He just walked out of there and severed all ties. That is pretty *beep* to do to Costigan. He knows, and by design, that him and Capt Q are his only lifeline. It's well established he and Costigan don't like each other. But I'd think he'd still be a decent professional- or human being- and not abandon him...unless there's something else I'm forgetting.
I suppose he did end up avenging Costigan's murder, but that's a case of too little too late. And I always took that as avenging Quinan, not really Costigan.
Not sure of the timeline - but wasn't Dignam suspended before the captains death. So before he left he probably felt the captain could take of it. He didn't ask to be suspended - they forced that on him. So he left off the grid - and probably wouldn't think the captain would be murdered. He ends up coming back and figures it out and - as you wrote - took revenge - yes too late - but it might not have been under his control.
And I always took that as avenging Quinan, not really Costigan.
Dignam was suspended after the death of Queenan. After the death, Sullivan demanded to know the ID of the informant. Dignam said something to the effect of "I don't have the safe combination on me but we can meet in the garage" The 2 engage in an affray and Ellerby gives Dignam 2 weeks off with pay"
The next time we see Dignam, he kills Sullivan.
I think the real question is when Brown was present during the surveillance operation in which Sullivan was naming all of the players...he says "this is their new guy Billy Costigan"
Brown went through the academy with him and it shouldn't have mattered if he was booted for for any reason. Any LEO is going to say "Hey, I went through the police academy with that guy until he was booted"
Good point. Not sure how it is in Boston but in NY a police class can be 1000's - sometimes up to 3000. Sometimes you meet other cadets a lot - sometimes just once or twice - sometimes you don't ever meet one - so you can go through the whole academy and not meet another cadet. If this was a large class and they met only a couple times - I wouldn't find it hard to believe he didn't recognize him. (maybe I'm pushing it trying to find an answer)
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At one point, Brown and Costigan are jogging together while talking to each other in the academy. On the roof top, Costigan said that he called Brown specifically because they knew each other.
shareI hear ya - but like I wrote - in an academy with a thousand people - you could end up running with a cadet one day and never see him again. Would he remember him after meeting him for just one run out of a thousand different cadets who he could have had a run with every day? Not sure. Maybe I'm pushing it. Costigan could have been briefed on the cops on the case - this way if there was a problem, raid, take down, someone trying to help him - he would know him - or - he remembered him from the run and Brown didn't.
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The 82nd Recruit Training Troop of the Mass. State Police graduated on April 1st of 2016. They graduated 158 cadets.
http://wwlp.com/2016/03/10/more-than-100-mass-state-police-recruits-graduate-in-april/
You are adding in some "could haves" which were never in the script. What was in the script was the two met each other in the academy and Costigan said he specifically chose Brown because Brown knew him.
Ok - the 80th had over 250 and they did get bigger than that but I see your point when he said he knew Brown knew him.
Here's another route - just spit balling here. There was no secret that Costigan was in the academy. Costello knew it, the neighborhood knew it. The plan was that he "flunked" out of the academy and then gets "arrested" for some serious crimes and sent to jail to start the cover-up. Costello believed it (maybe not at first) but Costigan's family background, his physical tests, and the fact that he didn't disseminate false information proved to Costello that he could be trusted.
Since I haven't seen it in a while.... Is it possible he didn't say he knew him since it wasn't a big deal. Everyone could have known him to be the flunky cadet who turned bad. Sullivan could have checked him out and found out that - yes - he was in the academy, flunked out and was arrested - all of which Costello already knew as it wasn't a secret. If Costello knew - it would be safe to say Sullivan knew and if he didn't Costello already vetted Costigan.
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BEFORE all the previous took place, Costigan AND Sullivan called each other and Costigan was INVITTED in BY Sullivan to which he replied he was "tired of being a cop and just want my money and my life back". Then Costello led yet ANOTHER illegal activity and was killed. Costigan THEN went the Massachusetts State Police Office and waited for Sergeant Sullivan. AFTER he is congratulated by all present, Trooper Brown says to Costigan and says to Sullivan, "he's been waiting here a LONG time for you" Sullivan replies, "You know that guy?" Brown answered, "Yeah, we were classmates at The Academy together""
shareyep...Good catch
shareI like where you are going with this. But they all knew he was in the academy - that wasn't a secret. I don't think that was news to anyone. They thought he was a flunk out and turned to crime. Costello knew this - the cops knew this. That's why he didn't need a different name or back story. So when Brown introduces him to Sullivan - being an ex-cadet wasn't the surprise - it was that he was still a cop (informant). When Sullivan asks if he knew him - Brown says he was a classmate. Not all cops know all cops and Brown was saying how he knew him. So - what I'm getting at - maybe he did recognize him - it wouldn't been ground breaking - nothing he would have to admit to since it wasn't news. Maybe - I'm chasing for answers.
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Ok, we have established that Brown knew Costigan from the academy. Going back to what was originally said...it was strange that Brown didn't acknowledge that fact when they were all in the surveillance room.
Sullivan calls him out by name saying something like "ok, that is their new guy, Billy Costigan" Any officer on this planet would have said... wow, that guy was in the academy with me and now eh is a dirt bag etc..."
he was in the academy - that wasn't a secret. I don't think that was news to anyone. They thought he was a flunk out and turned to crime. Costello knew this - the cops knew this. That's why he didn't need a different name or back story. So when Brown introduces him to Sullivan - being an ex-cadet wasn't the surprise
Any officer on this planet would have said... wow, that guy was in the academy with me and now eh is a dirt bag etc..."
The only cops that knew Costigan used to be in the academy was Queenen, Dignum and Brown. Sullivan did not know he was a "flunk out".