Harry Callahan: "Would you mind if I borrowed a little Scotch tape?"
Lt. Bressler: "It's disgusting that a police officer should know how to use that weapon."
-Harry Callahan about to tape a switch blade to his leg, much to Bressler's dissaproval.
Status: Alive
Weapon: Colt Diamondback
Lieutenant Al. J Bressler is Harry Callahan's boss and is in charge of the Homicide department. He serves as a supporting character in Dirty Harry and The Enforcer.
In Dirty Harry, Bressler assigns Harry on the Scorpio case and gives him Inspector Chico Gonzalez as his partner, much to Harry's disappointment. Later, under the orders of the mayor, Bressler has Harry deliver the money to Scorpio. Before this, he lets Harry tape a switch blade to his leg but comments that it is disgusting that a cop would use a weapon like that. Ironically, this would end up helping Harry in the end.
In The Enforcer, Bressler returns and has Harry look into the Bobby Maxwell case after the death of fellow officer Frank DiGiorgio. The two were present at DiGiorgio's death bed and Bressler understandably lets Harry take care of the case.
He's generally more on Harry's side compared to the rest of Harry's superiors (except for Capt. Donnelly). He tries to keep Callahan from getting in trouble.
He's played by the late Harry Guardino.
Trivia
- For some reason, Bressler doesn't appear in the second Dirty Harry film Magnum Force, nor is he mentioned and is instead replaced by Lt. Neil Briggs as Harry's boss who turned out to be the main antagonist in that film.
- Bressler also doesn't appear in any more Dirty Harry films after The Enforcer
- Despite being hard on Harry at times, he shows great respect for the inspector and most of the time takes his side no matter how bad things got.
