Thomas "Herc" Hauk
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| Thomas Hauk | |
|---|---|
 |
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| First appearance | The Target (episode 1.01) |
| Statistics | |
| Aliases | Herc |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 30 |
| Occupation | Baltimore Police Sergeant |
| Title | Sergeant |
| Portrayed by | Domenick Lombardozzi |
| Created by | David Simon |
Detective "Herc" Hauk is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Domenick Lombardozzi. Herc is a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit. He is a capable officer but tends towards brutality and often acts without thinking. He is an unfailingly loyal partner to Ellis Carver. He enjoys the adrenaline rush of physical policing and is not above cutting ethical corners to get ahead.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Season one
Herc was a narcotics detective under Major Foerster in season one; he joined the Barksdale detail along with his friends from narcotics, detectives Ellis Carver and Kima Greggs. His shift lieutenant from narcotics Cedric Daniels was assigned to command the detail.
Herc and Carver typically worked as a pair. They were intimidated by Greggs' ability and annoyed at her superior attitude towards them. They got into trouble early on in the investigation when they drunkenly raided the Barksdale organizations tower operation and nearly incited a riot. Herc suggested that they should visit the towers to make their presence known and physically intimidate their targets. He easily convinced the erratic Detective "Prez" Pryzbylewski to accompany them and Prez worsened the situation by hitting a teenaged drug dealer. Daniels was exasperated with his detectives lack of forethought but defended their actions to his superiors anyway. Herc was injured during the misguided exercise and was signed off for several days.
Herc returned early from his sick leave to take part in raids on the Barksdale's low rise projects operation. When one of the young dealers, Preston "Bodie" Brodus, punched detective Patrick Mahone Herc, Carver and Greggs were unrelenting in punishing him with a beating. Herc and Carver received the task of travelling to Bodie's juvenile dentention centre to try to convince him to become an informant. Finding that he had absconded they visited his home finding only his grandmother. Herc showed a softer side to the old woman listening to her story of Bodie's upbringing and apologising for his use of profanity. He left her his card to pass on to Bodie.
Herc spotted Bodie in the low rise projects while on surveillance and arrested him along with Carver. Finding that he remained defiant the detectives gave him another beating. Later, waiting to hand him over they softened towards him and the three shared a game of pool. Bodie was released from juvenile detention following the intervention of the Barksdale crew's lawyer. Unaware of this Herc and Carver angrily picked him up the next time they saw him, finding that he was a free adolescent once more they gave him a lift instead of bringing him in.
When Herc and Carver intercepted the Barksdale crew's profits for a day by tailing Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice, Herc considered keeping some of the money, but Carver who realised the wiretap might leave them exposed to the bosses. Some of the money went missing by accident, which led Carver to doubt Herc until it turned up. This also got both of them on the wrong side of Lt. Daniels.
Herc took his sergeant's exam and passed while in the Barksdale detail, his score was likely high enough to get a position and Herc was in line for the role ahead of Carver. Herc's past brutality allegations came back to haunt him and he missed out on the promotion. Carver got the job having betrayed Daniels to his superiors.
[edit] Season two
When the detail is disbanded Herc moves back to Foerster's narcotics division with Greggs while Carver takes a sergeants position elsewhere. Daniels brings Herc back into his detail when investigating Frank Sobotka, recognising Herc's stomach for the tedium of surveillance work. At Herc's request, he also brings Carver back but refused to recognise his promotion; Greggs remains lead detective. Herc is again partnered with Carver and the two investigat drug dealing around the docks area. When Greggs, Carver, and Herc go searching for drug dealers around the docks, Herc plays the key undercover role, dealing with mostly with the white drug dealers in the Polish docks neighborhood of Baltimore. They fabricate a confidential informant using a listening device and take payments meant for the informant to cover the cost. However, they do establish a link between Nick Sobotka and drug trade near the docks.
They are again relied upon to do the leg work for the detail and are instrumental in placing satellite tracking devices on vehicles involved in the dock smuggling ring. Their low status in the detail is brought home when they are asked to install an air conditioner in the home of a judge who is approving the detail's wiretaps. After being left out in the rain waiting for Nick Sobotka to return home, despite having already turned himself in, Herc convinces Carver they will never be respected in Daniels' unit, and they put in for a transfer.[1]
[edit] Season three
Herc returned to narcotics with Carver and worked in the Western District under Major Colvin. Herc remained a detective while Carver again began to act as a sergeant, together they were responsible for running the district's Drugs Enforcement Unit and commanding a squad of dedicated narcotics police including officers Dozerman, Lloyd "Truck" Garris and Anthony Colicchio.
The DEU squad was responsible for policing Colvin's unsanctioned free drug trade zone, nicknamed "Hamsterdam". Herc was most critical of the Major's pet project and eventually informed the Baltimore Sun reporters as to what was happening. As the truth about "Hamsterdam" was discovered, the department and city government were unsure about how to react to the situation as violent crimes district wide decreased by more than 14%. When the national media began covering the story the fall of the Hamsterdam soon followed.[2][3]
[edit] Season four
Herc began season four separated from Carver in his duties for the second time, as he worked a security detail for Mayor Clarence Royce during his campaign stops. Herc believes that the post will allow him to make sergeant because the Mayor will favour him. Herc is mortified when he stumbles across the mayor receiving oral sex from his assistant in his office. He is quick to close the door on them but Royce notices Herc before he can do so. Herc worries about how Royce will react and takes the problem to Carver. Carver puts Herc in touch with the politically minded Major Valchek who advises him that by keeping quiet Herc can turn the mishap to his advantage and quickly make rank. When Herc asks what to do if Royce acts against him Valchek tells him to break the story. When Royce does sit down with Herc, the Mayor quickly surmises Herc's desire for promotion and demonstrates his willingness to help Herc's career in exchange for his discretion. Royce promises Herc the first available Sergeant's job.
Herc receives the sergeants post with the Major Crimes Unit under Lieutenant Charlie Marimow. Herc takes an instant dislike to his commander but nevertheless follows his orders.[3]
[edit] Critical response and analysis
Salon described Herc and Carver as providing needed comic relief to the show and acting as a "bickering couple."[1]
David Simon has commented that actor Domenick Lombardozzi was incapable of concealing or modulating his native South Bronx accent; hence, at some point the program will explain how Herc ended up in Baltimore.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dan Kois (2004). Everything you were afraid to ask about "The Wire". Salon.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.
- ^ Org Chart - The Law. HBO (2004). Retrieved on 2006-07-22.
- ^ a b Character profile - Detective "Herc" Hauk. HBO (2004). Retrieved on 2006-07-25.
