- Det. Sgt. Harry Makepeace: [on their way to a wedding] So this is what you do when you're off duty? Listen to police messages?
- Lt. James Dempsey: A good cop is never off duty.
- Det. Chief. Inspector Lacey: You are a cowboy. Yeah, I've heard about you, Dempsey. You know the advice they give cowboys?
- Lt. James Dempsey: Stay away from Lulu at the Long Ranch?
- Lt. James Dempsey: [discussing a subject while eating junk food] I got a feeling in my guts.
- Det. Sgt. Harry Makepeace: That's the mustard.
- Det. Chief. Inspector Lacey: [Dempsey obects to Lacey searching his apartment] Gonna be sensible, are you?
- Lt. James Dempsey: I'll tell ya what we're gonna be: in about one second I'm gonna be mad as hell and you're gonna be flat on your high ranking butt.
- Lt. James Dempsey: If you wanna find out who killed Simmons, find his driver!
- Det. Chief. Inspector Lacey: We already did. His name's Phelps.
- Lt. James Dempsey: Well, what did he say?
- Det. Chief. Inspector Lacey: Not a lot, no brains. Back of his head was missing.
- Chief Supt. Gordon Spikings: Dempsey, you're a clown.
- Lt. James Dempsey: Yeah, but under the greasepaint my heart is breaking.
- Chief Supt. Gordon Spikings: Shut up!
- Lt. James Dempsey: What about loyalty. Ever hear of loyalty? Like between partners?
- Det. Sgt. Harry Makepeace: In sickness and in health?
- Lt. James Dempsey: Damn right.
- Det. Sgt. Harry Makepeace: Till death sentence do us part?
- Lt. James Dempsey: I do.
- Dr. Pohl: [Makepeace is dressed for dinner and Dempsey as a bum] You are police? What do muggers look like?
- Chief Supt. Gordon Spikings: [to Makepeace] Amazing. Amazing! You're lips move and I hear Dempsey's voice!
- Det. Sgt. Harry Makepeace: Well Dempsey thinks that Harris...
- Chief Supt. Gordon Spikings: He doesn't! Dempsey thinks the case is solved when he knows who the bad guys are. It doesn't have to go to court, it doesn't have to be proved beyond any reasonable doubt!