MovieChat Forums > Disturbing Behavior (1998) Discussion > Was Officer Cox really a local cop?

Was Officer Cox really a local cop?

posted 12 years ago by cluosborne
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It occurred to me: I don't think Officer Cox was really a police officer, at least not one that lived in Cradle Bay all his life.

He didn't seem to know Dorian Newberry beyond his the Janitor/rat catcher role. In the deleted scenes, Newberry was actually the school's old counselor. If Cox was a local, he would have known who Newberry really was and seen through his stupid act, or at the very least had kept him in his sights when he tried to take Steve and Rae at the gas station.

Plus, when the guy reported the deaths in the beginning of the movie, he used terms that no cop uses (that I've heard of). Cox seemed more like a prison guard, hospital orderly or CIA Agent than a cop. It wouldn't be a stretch if he really was a cop who was dirty and chosen for his moral flexibility.

Caldicott replaced Newberry at the high school, and those people at the hospital didn't seem to be locals either. It's possible Cox took the place of Cradle Bay's police chief when he "retired" or had a heart attack or was killed in the line of duty.

[–] Anonymos1 12 years ago

He was under mind control as well....we got the tip off when he calls newberry a moron during the gas station scene, caldicott uses him to control the blue ribbons and keep them safe as apparently they do no wrong. Chug also calls newberry a moron through out the film indicating that there is a connection with the chip, my guess is almost all the adults are chipped besides the parents.

[–] ricky_may1 11 years ago

i think he was implanted as well. in the novel it is strongly implied that he is, cause in one part where he gives Steve a ride home, he sees a wallet sized photo of a blue ribbon kid and he bears a striking resemblance to Cox (as a younger man)

[–] cluosborne 11 years ago

No, I doubt it. I think the photo was of his own son.

I get the impression that Caldicott was working on a Super Soldier project, and his particular focus was on mental conditioning and programming. He needed test subjects, and Cradle Bay proved ideal because:

1. It was small
2. Geographically isolated by water
3. Had suffered a tragedy that would make the population both willing to accept any changes and not question them.

The implants are way--way ahead of their time, assuming that Caldicott arrived in '97-98 was well-established by '99. The Bishop Flats 11 were his first batch of test subjects--allowing him to figure out the process through trial-and-error (without any regard for the lives he destroyed).

In order to keep the situation contained, he needed help. School officials, ferry workers, police, telecom. Cox clearly knew what was going on, and for someone who had lived in the same town all his life to suddenly turn on his own community. It just seems plausible that the organization that was backing Caldicott's work had slipped people into key positions in town. The guy on the ferry, the police officer, the people at the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised if they had control of the town's telecom in the event someone tried to call out for help.