- [At the end of a meeting of Stringer's drug organization]
- Russell 'Stringer' Bell: Adjourn your asses.
- Preston 'Bodie' Broadus: No matter how many times you get burnt, man, you just keep on doin' the same.
- Sgt. Ellis Carver: [the entire squad, plus backup, has chased a runner for several blocks into some overgrown backyards. Carver gets up on the roof of a car and yells this monologue at the top of his lungs] Now listen to me you little fuckin' piece of shit; I'm gon' tell you one thing, and one thing only, about the Western boys you're playing with: We do not lose! and we do not forget! and we do not give up! Ever! So I'm only gon' say this one time: If you march yo' ass out here right now and put the bracelets on, we will not kick the livin' shit outta you. But if you make us go into the weeds for you, or make us come back out here tomorrow night, catch you onda corner, I swear to fuckin' Christ, we will beat you longer, and harder, than you beat your own dick!
- Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: [playing music from Shaft on his car stereo] He's a complicated man. And the only one that understands him is his woman.
- Sgt. Ellis Carver: Seek therapy.
- Acting Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell: [about Proposition Joe's gang] What makes you think they'll promote the wrong man?
- Lt. Cedric Daniels: We do it all the time.
- Preston 'Bodie' Broadus: Y'all are talking about steel and concrete, man. Steel and fucking concrete.
- Malik 'Poot' Carr: Man, I'm talking about people, memories and shit.
- Preston 'Bodie' Broadus: That ain't the same! Look, they gonna tear this building down, they gonna build some new shit. But people? They don't give a fuck about people.
- [about a drug dealer incapable of using code on the phone]
- Det. Roland 'Prez' Pryzbylewski: If that idiot worked for us, he'd be a deputy commissioner by now.
- Det. Roland 'Prez' Pryzbylewski: [about a drugdealer giving out information through his wired phone] If that idiot worked for us, he'd be a deputy commissioner by now.