Characters / Kolchak The Night Stalker Law Enforcement

Police

CPD

"Mad Dog" Siska

Captain Joe "Mad Dog" Siska

"You know, Kolchak, some people dream about retirement. I dream about breaking your face."

Played By: Keenan Wynn

A police officer whose attempts to reign in his temper are constantly thwarted by Kolchak. Appears in "The Spanish Moss Murders" and "Demon in Lace".

• Berserk Button: Kolchak is his walking, talking Berserk Button, to the point of setting him off whenever they’re in the same room together, to the point of undoing Siska’s anger management therapy.
  Siska: KOLCHAK!
  • Reporters in general seem to set him off. At one point, the mere presence of a student reporter asking some very mild questions sets him off into one of his trademark rages.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: Siska is infamous for his raging temper, and while he tries to keep himself under control, Kolchak's antics usually cause him to lose control.
• Large Ham: Whenever he loses his temper, yes.
• Meaningful Nickname: He really earned the name "Mad Dog".
• Obstructive Bureaucrat: Downplayed. His grievances with Kolchak come down to legitimate reasons, like Kolchak's constant pestering, stealing of police information, and general abrasiveness, and he can be a Reasonable Authority Figure whenever he’s not losing his temper.
• Rage Breaking Point: A Running Gag is Siska’s attempts to control his temper, that usually fail when having to deal with Kolchak’s antics repeatedly eventually cause him to blow up, undoing any progress he made.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Whenever he’s in control of his temper, he’s usually calm, reasonable, and willing to listen to questions. In "The Spanish Moss Murders", while not believing Kolchak’s theory about Pére Malfait, he does come to agree with him that the test subject for the sleeping study is somehow responsible for the murders and orders him woken up. Siska also goes along with Kolchak when the latter shows that the murder times and the spikes in the EKG readings tie together.
• Redemption Failure: Played for Laughs. Whenever he manages to start controlling his temper, Kolchak comes along and undoes any progress he made.

Baker

Captain Joe Baker

Played By: Ramon Bieri

A police captain investigating the Diabler’s killings and robberies. Appears in "Bad Medicine".

• Agent Scully: He somehow believes the Diablero, who was able to beat up several officers, kill six guards with their own guns, and jumped off a building and disappeared while falling, has a rational explanation. It’s implied he’s only saying this to cover his own ass.
• Jerkass Has a Point: His main issues with Kolchak are his annoyance with Kolchak throwing himself into danger during a police raid and taking police information.
• Obstructive Bureaucrat: Like most cops in the series, Baker does nothing but get in Kolchak’s way in beating the monster while doing nothing to stop it himself.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: He tries to hold Kolchak and pin the Diablero’s murders on him, but due to a lack of evidence, he winds up having to let him go.

Winwood

Captain Leo Winwood

"Kolchak, I oughta stuff a gun in that cabbage you call a head!"

Played By: Charles Aidman

A police officer with a very, very deep loathing for Kolchak. Appears in "The Zombie".

• Dirty Cop: He’s on the payroll of the Mafia, and helped in the murder of Francois Edmonds.
• Jerkass: A racist, cruel thug with a badge. Oh, and he’s a possibly murderous Dirty Cop.
• Karma Houdini: Subverted. While he manages, through sheer luck, to avoid being killed by Francois Edmonds and have all the evidence of his corruption destroyed, he winds up fired from the police for his crimes.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: He makes several disparaging remarks about Haitians and refers to Francois Edmonds as a Negro.

Molnar

Captain Maurice Molnar

Played By: John Marley

A cop in charge of the manhunt for the Ape Man. Appears in "Primal Scream".

• Actor Allusion: John Marley had previously played a cop in The Car.
• Alliterative Name: Maurice Molnar.
• Deadpan Snarker: He has a very dry wit, and often puts in barbs at Kolchak’s expense.
• Jerkass: He repeatedly breaks and steals Kolchak’s camera, while acting like Kolchak is the one being unreasonable for protesting this.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: That said, he still rescues Kolchak from the Ape Man in the end.
• Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For Captain Akins, being an aging cop on the hunt for the creation of a lab run by very influential people trying to cover up the truth.

Jonas

Captain L. Jonas

Played By: Larry Linville

The youngest and most egotistical police captain on the force, who has a love for violating the law just to screw over Kolchak. Appears in "Chopper".

• Agent Scully: Yes, the headless biker is wearing a costume. The witnesses saying otherwise are just traumatized by Kolchak.
• Jerkass: After being promoted to captain, he uses his authority for the sole sake of making Kolchak’s life difficult and he gleefully violates any law that has anything to do with freedom of the press.
• Laser-Guided Karma: His numerous violations of the law and police procedure wind up getting him demoted to traffic duty. As an added bonus, he’s now in charge of towing cars, and he had earlier had Kolchak’s car illegally towed.
• Rabid Cop: Jonas is hot-tempered, aggressive, and has a witness to one of Baker’s murders committed to an asylum for truthfully saying Baker was headless.
• Reassigned to Antarctica: At the end of "Chopper", he gets reassigned to traffic duty for his flagrant violations of the law.
• Small Name, Big Ego: He angrily declares to Kolchak, who had told him a bullshit story about one of Swordsman’s victims, that he can’t be fooled by Kolchak and bragging about how he won’t help him after giving him pretty much all of the information about the case.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: While most cops Kolchak meets aren’t that nice or helpful and positively gleeful about making sure he doesn’t get a story, Jonas thinks that they’re too soft and is the only one to make a point of violating the freedom of the press and abusing his authority to make Kolchak’s life miserable For the Evulz.

Webster

Captain Webster

Played By: Ramon Bieri

• Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For Baker, another cop. They’re even played by the same actor, which makes one wonder why the two weren’t the same character.

Rausch

Captain Vernon Rausch

Played By: John Dehner

• Affably Evil: Rausch is generally a nice guy and treats Kolchak like a respectable reporter. Then Kolchak turns up at the scene of an axe murder, and starts talking about a knight in armor, and Rausch become much more sadistic.
• Wicked Pretentious: Rausch writes for the police newsletter, and knows all about British commandoes and ice blocks. However, as Kolchak notes, he's very shallow.

Orkin

Sergeant Orkin

Played By: Dwayne Hickman

• Laser-Guided Karma: His assault on Kolchak results in Kolchak giving his information to an annoying matchmaker, who will bug him to his dying days.

Lamont

Lieutenant Irene Lamont

Played By: Kathie Browne

Akins

Captain Akins

Played By: Bert Freed

A police officer aiding in the manhunt for R.I.N.G. Appears in "Mr. R.I.N.G.".

• Friendly Enemy: Downplayed. He’s far more civil to Kolchak than most police officers he encounters, and generally comes off as being more annoyed by him than anything else.
• The Stoic: Generally comes across as having been worn out and tired from years of police work, and thus not being particularly emotive.

Cortazzo

Detective Cortazzo

Played By: Roberta Collins

An officer undercover as a prostitute aiding in the manhunt for the Ripper. Appears in "The Ripper".

• Fair Cop: She exploits this trope by disguising herself as a prostitute and arresting anyone who does anything that can be even faintly seen as soliciting a prostitute.
• Uncertain Doom: She isn’t seen after the Ripper severely beats her.

Warren

Captain R.M. Warren

Played By: Ken Lynch

The police officer in charge of the manhunt for the Ripper. Appears in "The Ripper".

• Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: He was set up as a recurring nemesis for Kolchak, but him and the charges he presses against Kolchak wind up disappearing. He was set to return in the unfinished episode "The Executioners", which was later published into a graphic novel.
• Jerkass: He deliberately ruins Kolchak’s photos of the Ripper’s fight with the police, and he twice charges Kolchak with trumped up and phony charges out of spite.
• Pet the Dog: When Kolchak confronts him for ruining his pictures of the Ripper, Warren offers to let Kolchak take pictures at the Ripper’s arraignment.
• Tempting Fate: He smugly tells Kolchak that the Ripper won’t be able to break out of maximum security. Immediately after, the Ripper rips the door off the wall and walks out.

Mayer

Sgt. Mayer

Played By: Philip Carey

A cop investigating the Spontaneous Combustions caused by Frankie Marnoff.

• Reasonable Authority Figure: He is fairly reasonable, polite with witnesses and civil towards Kolchak, and he follows the law to the letter.

Lyons

Officer Earl Lyons

Played By: Cal Bartlett

A decorated police officer. Appears in "Legacy of Terror".

• Asshole Victim: Considering his general attitude, it’s pretty hard to feel sorry for him when the cult cuts out his heart.
• Cruel and Unusual Death: He gets his heart cut out by the cult.
• Jerkass: His arrogant and zealous attitude don’t really make him very likeable,
• Rabid Cop: He pursues Kolchak relentlessly for trying to sneak into a crime scene, treating it as though it were a murder.

LAPD

Matteo

Lieutenant Jack Matteo

Played By: William Daniels

The police officer in charge of investigating Catherine Rawlings’ LA killings. Appears in "The Vampire".

• Agent Scully: A unique case. He knows that Catherine Rawlings’ killings are the work of a vampire, but he refuses to admit this and instead spends more time trampling over people to make sure he doesn’t have to admit the truth to himself rather than try to catch her.
• Karma Houdini: He gets away scot free with his incompetent handling of the investigation, though he does wind up having to let Kolchak go so he won’t have to admit to Rawlings being undead.
• Not So Stoic: He puts on a calm exterior, but whenever pushed all his Suppressed Rage comes pouring out.
• Selective Obliviousness: Matteo is willfully blind to the fact Rawlings is a vampire, and he prefers it only look at the surface of the killings so he doesn’t have to accept this fact.
• Suppressed Rage: He puts on a calm exterior, when in reality he’s bursting with rage.

BPD

Sample

Deputy Sample

Played By: John Doucette

A cop investigating Catherine Rawlings’ murders in Barstow. Appears in "The Vampire".

• Dirty Cop: Downplayed. He gives off the vibe of one, but he doesn’t actually do anything corrupt outside of not give Kolchak any information on the murders.

LVPD

Butcher

Sheriff Warren A. Butcher

"Kolchak, you are hereby the suffering of the entire police department!"

Played By: Claude Akins

A police officer leading the manhunt for Skorzeny. Appears in The Night Stalker.

• Composite Character: He’s essentially all of the officers hunting down Skorzeny in The Kolchak Papers mixed into a single character, with his name and personality taken from Chief Butcher.
• It's All About Me: He’s motivated entirely by making himself look good, and nothing else. He doesn’t give a damn about anyone who was killed by Skorzeny, and runs the witnesses out of town or blackmails them into keeping silent.
• Jerkass: He’s hostile and continuously insults and harasses Kolchak for no real reason, except personal dislike. Him running Kolchak out of Las Vegas in spite of him killing Skorzeny is motivated out of petty spite more than anything else.
• Karma Houdini: Gets off scot free for running Kolchak and several witnesses out of Las Vegas, forcing the rest of the witnesses into silence, and covering up the murder victims‘ existence.
• Smug Snake: He is extremely smug and self-satisfied, and when he finally accepts Kolchak’s helps he makes sure to patronize him. He ramps up the smugness while blackmailing Kolchak out of Las Vegas.
• Ungrateful Bastard: He runs Kolchak out of Las Vegas with trumped up murder charges and forces Jenks into allowing it, clearly enjoying it.

Masterson

Chief Edward Masterson

Played By: Charles McGraw

The chief of the Las Vegas Police Department. Appears in The Night Stalker.

• Composite Character: He’s pretty much Chief Butcher from The Kolchak Papers except with his name taken from Captain Ed Masterson, one of the officers aiding in the manhunt.
• It's All About Me: All he cares about is making sure Las Vegas, and more importantly he doesn’t look bad due to the police’s inability to capture Skorzeny. He kicks Kolchak out of Las Vegas with murder charges after he takes care of Skorzeny just so he doesn’t have to admit to the existence of a vampire for the sake of looking good, and covers up any evidence of the killings.
• Karma Houdini: Gets off scot free for running Kolchak and several witnesses out of Las Vegas, forcing the rest of the witnesses into silence, and covering up the murder victims‘ existence.
• Suit with Vested Interests: He covers up the fact Skorzeny is a vampire is because he doesn’t want to jeopardize Las Vegas’s tourist industry and he doesn't want to look bad.
• Ungrateful Bastard: After Kolchak kills Skorzeny, he reneges on their deal and runs him out of Las Vegas with trumped up murder charges, forcing Jenks to go along with it.

SPD

Schubert

Captain Roscoe Schubert

Played By: Scott Brady

The hotheaded police officer in charge of the manhunt for Richard Malcolm. Appears in The Night Strangler.

• Hypocrite: He tells Kolchak that he hates him for lying to the public, interfering with he and his men’s work, not doing enough to stop the killer, not doing enough research or acting on facts, and being as big a threat to Seattle as Malcolm through his greed, all of which apply to Schubert and his treatment of Kolchak.
• Jerkass: Hypocritical, arrogant, and aggressive.
• Karma Houdini: He gets away with running Vincenzo, Kolchak, and Louise out of Seattle and his abysmal handling of Malcolm’s murders.
• Never My Fault: Kolchak is the one responsible for the killer evading police. It certainly couldn’t be that Schubert is putting his concern for Seattle’s tourist industry above saving lives, and he’s not as competent as he thinks.
• Suit with Vested Interests: The reason for his attempts at covering up the facts about the killer and attempts to downplay it is that he doesn't want to jeopardize Seattle's tourist industry.
• Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For Butcher, both being hotheaded Jerkasses who insult and harass Kolchak, use Malaproper in an embarrassing manner, and proves to be an Ungrateful Bastard who runs Kolchak and several others out of the local city to cover up the truth, for the sake of looking good and out of spite.

FBI

Jenks

Agent Bernie Jenks

Played By: Ralph Meeker

An FBI agent who, unlike most authority figures, is on friendly terms with Kolchak. Appears in The Night Stalker.

• Adaptation Name Change: In The Kolchak Papers he was named Bernard Fain.
• Composite Character: He’s a combination of Bill Jenks and Bernard Fain from The Kolchak Papers. He takes most of his characterization and role from Fain, but he takes the surname of Jenks and gets his scenes.
• Friend on the Force: For Kolchak, going to bat for him with the LVPD and helping him kill Skorzeny. And then subverted in the end, where Masterson and Slaughter pressure him into letting them run Kolchak out of town.
• He Knows Too Much: In The Kolchak Papers, he is assasinated by the Las Vegas authorities and has his death covered up as a drug overdose.