Bill O'Hara

"You preachy little sh*t! You think taking a little money here is the problem? Open your f*cking eyes. This whole bust is the problem. You, me, the goddamn chinks, the Chinatown squad, we're all just pawns in someone else's game, so sue me if I'm getting my back scratched before they stick a f*cking knife in it!"

—Bill to Lee^[src]

William "Bill" O'Hara is a sergeant at the San Francisco Police Department and the head of the Chinatown squad. Personally, he is a degenerate gambler who lacks self-control and doesn't know when to quit. Due to his outstanding debt, for a time, Bill worked as an enforcer for the Fung Hai.^[1]

Biography

Early life

Bill is an Irishman who for the last 15 years, has been happily married to Lucy O'Hara, with whom he has five children.^[2][3]

Leading the Chinatown squad

The Mayor would like to form a Chinatown Squad, and Bill is expected to lead it, despite the high risk task. Bill is reluctant, but Flannagan informs him that it's a straight climb up the letter without kissing a single arse. Three out of the four other officers that will be joining the taskforce have already been chosen. It's up to Bill to decide who will be the final member, which ultimately ends up being Officer Lee, who joins Bill, as he heads to Chao's shop, where he works as a weapons dealer and is supplying Bill and the Chinatown Squad with various weapons. Bill is later paid off by Leary to ensure Lee doesn't show up in court for the trial of two men who were caught attacking a coolie.^[4]

Arresting Ah Sahm

Bill and Lee arrive at the Banshee after hearing of a double homicide to find Chief Flannagan waiting for them. He suspects that there were at least two Chinese attackers. However, Lee examines the bodies and determines that it was more likely a single attacker, more specifically an expert swordsman. Bill goes to speak with Leary, who is upset with the loss of Morgan and Davis. He demands that Bill find the killers, as he refuses to allow this to go unanswered. With Morgan and Davis dead, they can no longer stand trial, meaning Leary would like his money back, but Bill has already gambled it away. So, Leary intends to have Bill work off what he owes instead.

After cleaning up a crime scene where several Long Zii hatchet men were killed, Bill arrests Ah Sahm for attacking a couple of drunken Irishmen and beats him over the head with a baton, before presenting him to Chief Flannagan as the Banshee murderer, despite having no evidence to support the claim.^[2]

After arraignment, Bill is approached by Leary, who seeks to skip trial and fast track to Ah Sahm's sentencing, which consists of Bill sneaking a few of Leary's thugs inside the cell with Ah Sahm. As soon as Bill heads back to his desk, they go in for the attack, armed with various weapons, but they are no match against Ah Sahm. When Bill finally returns, Ah Sahm reveals that he can speak English and confronts him for sending Leary's men after him and for arresting him simply for being Chinese. Lee then enters the holding cell area and confronts Bill after having previously seen him with Leary, under the impression that Bill and Leary attempted to have Ah Sahm killed.

The following day, Bill is in disbelief when neither witness show up to court and the trial is dismissed. However, he advises Ah Sahm to avoid the crowd and sneak out through a service exit that'll lead him out the backside of the building. Later, Bill takes Leary down to see his men after they were beaten by Ah Sahm. Bill hopes that this makes him and Leary even, but Leary reminds Bill that he has bigger concerns in regard to Ah Sahm, who's made a fool of the precinct.^[5]

A debt to the Fung Hai

While at the Fung Hai gambling den, Bill runs into an old colleague, Jack Damon, who is working security for the Fung Hai. Unfortunately for Bill, by the end of the night, he's lost everything he came in with and then some. Damon helps Bill outside and beats him. He informs Bill that when a Chinese gambler owes them money, they can simply go after them, but when an Irishmen runs up a debt and tries to flee before paying up, that's where Damon comes in, as he can go where the Fung Hai can't. With that in mind, Bill has three weeks to pay his debt or else Damon will kill him.

The police raid Ah Toy's whorehouse and Bill informs Ah Toy that he has orders to shut her down and place her under arrest for running a brothel. However, Ah Toy claims that she runs a boarding house and then pays Bill off, which doesn't go unnoticed by Lee, who later confronts Bill, who's had enough of his righteousness, explaining that taking a little money isn't the problem. The entire bust is the issue. They're all just pawns in someone else's game.

Later that night, Lee joins Bill at the bar and apologizes for earlier. Bill remarks that Lee's a good kid and that he'll be a fine cop. Eventually, they'll be reassigned out of Chinatown and hopefully go off to do some real police work. Until then, Bill advises Lee to keep his head down and simply survive. Bill then takes the money he got from Ah Toy and gambles it away.^[6]

Bill is shaken by an explosion in Chinatown that leaves several people dead, and his day only gets worse when he returns home to find Damon waiting for him, and he reminds Bill that it's time for him to pay his debt. Bill claims that he has the money and will bring it to the Banshee tomorrow night. However, Bill then heads down to the Banshee, where he asks Leary for a loan and reveals that Damon is working for the Fung Hai casino. Enraged by Damon's betrayal, Leary challenges Damon to a fight, which he wins and beats Damon into an inch of his life. By the end, Leary tosses Bill Damon's cane to finish him off. Bill is reluctant, but in fear that Damon would retaliate should he be given the chance to heal, Bill bashes Damon's head in with his own cane.

Bill returns home at dawn to find Lee waiting on his porch. Lee doesn't even bother asking what happened, as he knows Bill wouldn't tell him the truth, though Bill does thank him. Bill then heads inside, shuts the door behind him, and cries into his hand to muffle the sound. It is then that he looks over and notices a coin on the floor.^[3]

Bill is struggling to cope with Damon's death, so much so that he even begins seeing his ghost. At the Banshee, Bill meets a bounty hunter named Gresham, who's come searching for Lee, who is on the run after supposedly murdering two men in Georgia. There's a $500 reward for his arrest, and Gresham has come to bring him home, but with Lee's position, he needs Bill's help, and for that, he's willing to split the bounty. And so, Bill pays Lee a visit in order to get the entire story from him. Upon learning that Lee killed two of his cousins in self-defense after they killed his girl, Bill sides with Lee and has the bounty hunter escorted out of town.^[7]

Investigating the swordsman

Bill and Lee arrive in Chinatown to the aftermath of the battle between the Long Zii and the Hop Wei. Before long, Buckley shows up with Senator Crestwood, who has come to further his political agenda, leading Bill to request that Chief Flannagan take him out of Chinatown, as he didn't become a cop to clean up blood or be a pawn in someone's political game. However, the chief denies his request.

Bill makes his way through Chinatown and notices that he's being followed by the Fung Hai, who are demanding that he repay his debt. Instead, Bill beats one of the tong members until Lee intervenes. Lee then asks Bill how much he owes. He simply replies that they don't get paid enough. Bill then returns home to Lucy and reveals to her that he's in debt once more.

The following morning, Bill, Lee, and Chief Flannagan report to the shore after a call about a body being fished in from the sea. They've identified him as Victor Timmons, real estate tycoon. He was reported missing with his business associate Lance McCormick two days ago. They were called in as it appears Timmons was killed by a sword.^[8]

Bill and Lee walk the empty streets of Chinatown in wonder, questioning where everyone has gone. Eventually, they get their answer and find their way into a crowd surrounding the ring, scheduled for a one vs one duel between the Hop Wei and Long Zii. They join the crowd and watch as the fight is underway, that is until Li Yong attempts to snap Ah Sahm's neck, only then does Bill intervene and fire a single round in the sky, causing the crowd to disperse. Bill then escorts Penny out of the fight, suspecting that her attendance at the fight wasn't a coincidence. Penny asks why Bill saved Ah Sahm, but Bill avoids the question and tells Penny that Chinatown isn't a safe place for her.

Bill and Lee look to Chao in their samurai/swordsman case, but Chao doesn't sell swords, as they're worthless and old-fashioned. Bill pleads with Chao for some kind of information, if only a simple clue. If they don't catch someone soon, things are going to get ugly in Chinatown. And so, Chao offers to look around.^[9]

Becoming a Fung Hai enforcer

In retaliation for Bill refusing to pay his debt, the Fung Hai target Lee and put him in a coma for more than a week. Bill is guilt-ridden and remains at Lee's bedside, who he promises to avenge. Bill then goes into the Fung Hai gambling den and shoots a Fung Hai hatchet man in the leg before demanding to see their boss. Before Long, Zing arrives and disarms Bill, killing one of his own men with Bill's gun, proving to Bill just how savage the Fung Hai are. Zing reminds Bill that he owes them a debt, but it's not money they want. Bill is employed as the Fung Hai's new security officer. Fortunately, Lee later wakes up and begins to recover. He eventually returns for his first shift back since his attack and patrols Chinatown along with Bill.^[1]

Bill continues to work as muscle for the Fung Hai, and he pays yet another in-debt white man a visit. However, the man doesn't have a single cent to his name. So, Bill takes the man's ring as payment instead. He then returns to the Fung Hai den, where Bill explains that he has paid his debt and is done working for Zing and the Fung Hai. However, Zing insists that Bill continue to work for him, for which he is fairly compensated.

Bill returns home with steak for Lucy to prepare, but this isn't the first time, and it's quite expensive, which hasn't gone unnoticed by Lucy. She suspects that he's been to the gambling tables, but he insists that he hasn't. He claims it's from the owner of a nearby slaughterhouse, who gives him free steak after Bill got rid of a couple thugs.

Bill, Lee, and Chief Flannagan have tracked their swordsman to the Teddy Boys' hideout, where their bodies have been discovered. Judging by the crime scene, Lee suspects that this time around, there was more than one person. Chief Flannagan warns Bill that if he and the Chinatown Squad can't find the perpetrator or perpetrators, then he'll find someone who can. Feeling the pressure, Bill and Lee raid Chao's place of business as an incentive to give up some information about the swordsman. Chao insists that he doesn't know anything but notes that Bill is probably under a lot of pressure, revealing that he's heard many of things about him.^[10]

Bill hunts down a man named Floyd, who owes a debt to the Fung Hai. Bill slams him down and forces the man to pay up. Bill then returns to the station, where Lee has their next lead after looking into the victimology of the swordsman killings. So, they go and question Leonard Patterson, who was buying land from Timmons and McCormick before they died. However, Patterson claims to know nothing, And while Bill is convinced he's lying about something, he doesn't think Patterson is their killer.

Bill and Lucy have sex, and she jokes that she enjoys not having to have to do all the work around the house for a change. He then gifts her an expensive necklace, leading her to question where he's getting all this money from. Bill claims that he's simply been working a couple extra shifts. She isn't convinced, but she wants Bill to know that she doesn't need jewelry or steak. All she needs is for her husband to come home after every shift.^[11]

Waging war against the Fung Hai

Bill is searching for a man named Edgar Kellerman, who owes a debt of $40 with the interest is accruing, to the Fung Hai. However, Edgar is missing, though his wife is willing to sexually please Bill, as she did with Damon, to buy him more time. However, Bill isn't interested and shoves her away, telling Mrs. Kellerman that he'll be back tomorrow. Bill then goes to Zing and tells him to put his earnings towards Edgar's debt, but that's not how they do business. Nevertheless, Bill is done working the Zing. He's more than paid his debt, but Zing isn't willing to let him go. Bill warns Zing that if he or his men even look his way again, he'll bring the full force of the police department down on the Fung Hai.

Bill and Lucy invite Lee over for dinner, and after Lee leaves, the Fung Hai attack. They hold a knife to Ethan's throat, and just as they're about to kill him, Lee returns guns blazing, shooting Ethan's would-be killer in the head before going after the other two inside. A fight ensues, with Lee and Bill defending the house from the two remaining Fung Hai warriors. Bill fights one of the attackers on the staircase. He eventually manages to get a hold of a knife and stab him. However, the remaining warrior then goes after Bill and nearly kills him until Lucy shoots him in the head.^[12]

Lucy demands to know why the Fung Hai came to their home, but Bill doesn't answer. She gets in the carriage and says that she needs to get as far away from Bill as possible. Before sending him off, Bill tells his oldest, Ethan, to take care of his mom and siblings. Once they're gone, Lee asks Bill why the Fung Hai came after him. Bill reluctantly reveals he was working as muscle for the Fung Hai for a couple of months. Lee then realizes that he was attacked because they were sending Bill a message, and punches Bill.

Bill gets a visit from Chao just as they are rallying the department against the Fung Hai. He warns Bill that he can't attack Fung Hai right now, as they're expecting an attack and Zing won't be there. Chao then alludes to Zing being the swordsman and asks for two days to set everything up. In return, he'll want everything back that was taken into police custody. Having made this deal with Chao, Bill reports to Chief Flannagan, Mayor Blake and Buckley that he gave his men the word to stand down after getting word that Fung Hai were expecting retaliation and have set a trap. Instead, they'll wait a couple of days for the Fung Hai to lower their guard and then go in and take them out. Afterward, Bill returns to his ruined home, where not much and no one remains.^[13]

Bill informs the boys over at the precinct that tonight is the night they strike back at the Fung Hai. Lee blames Bill for what happened to him as well as his own family, but Bill doesn't exactly accept responsibility for his actions, more so directing his anger into seeking revenge. He warns Lee that he better be sober when the time comes for them to move in on the Fung Hai.

Chao goes in first, and when they get his signal, Bill leads the police department into the Fung Hai den in full force, guns blazing, killing many of the Fung Hai on their way in, saving Chao in the process. Bill heads upstairs, where Zing and Li Yong are engaged in combat, and he catches Zing with the sword in hand. Zing goes after Bill, but Lee intervenes and shoots him in the shoulder, recognizing Zing as the same Fung Hai who attacked him. Bill digs his finger into Zing's wound and promises to make him suffer for his crimes. Along with the sword, Bill claims to have found Timmons' watch in Zing's room as well.^[14]

Zing is taken to arraignment, where Bill explains to the judge that they found a sword and a pocket watch that belonged to one of his victims. Based on that evidence, Bill tells the judge that Zing is in fact the swordsman they've been after. Zing is found guilty of first degree murder and is sentenced to death. After court is adjourned, Leary approaches Bill after hearing that he was working for Zing, but Bill claims he was simply doing his job. Bill and the rest of the Chinatown Squad are then thanked by the Mayor for bringing the swordsman to justice.

However, Bill and the Squad are called in by a fellow officer, who discovered bodies in a brothel who were killed by sword. Bill suspects that they're dealing with another swordsman. However, Jackson doesn't think the press will see it that way and is willing to walk out without saying a word in exchange for Bill's recommendation to Sergeant. Bill accepts the deal and cleans the mess up along with Stone and Harrison.^[15]

Searching for Jacob

Bill is confronted by Lee for planting the watch on Zing after speaking with Timmons' widow. Lee at least know where to draw the line between good and bad, to which Bill asks, "What side of the line does killing your own kin fall on?" In a fit of rage, Lee punches Bill and slams him to the ground until Harrison and Stone intervene.

Bill leads the entire San Francisco Police Department in a raid of Chinatown in search of Jacob after learning that he killed the Mayor. They first enter Ah Toy's brothel, but Ah Toy insists that she doesn't know him and that too many cops are bad for business. Bill has also come to inform her that a curfew has been instated. Everyone is shut down until they find the man they're after. Bill then runs into Ah Sahm, who he hasn't seen since the tournament with Li Yong. He not only saw the fight, he stopped it and saved Ah Sahm's life. Ah Sahm questions what the extra force is for, and Bill reveals that Mayor Blake was murdered in his home by Jacob, who Ah Sahm insists that he doesn't know. He then pays Chao a visit and asks for his help with finding Jacob, but Chao explains that he doesn't know Jacob.^[16]

Bill and the San Francisco police department catch Jacob trying to leave town after Buckley got a tip. Lee is worried that Buckley has another agenda, which Bill admits might be true, but at least they have the right guy. Bill and Lee personally follow the paddy wagon escorting Jacob to jail. However, the road is blocked off by the workingmen. Rather than allowing the officer to do their job, the workingmen would like to see street justice prevail. Tully riles up the workingmen and orders Bill and his men to step aside, but Bill warns them to stand down. They ignore Bill's warning and attack him before breaking into the carriage and pulling Jacob out. Tully ties a rope around Jacob's neck and hangs him just outside the Banshee. Leary exits and helps Bill to his feet, pushing away his own men.

Bill, Harrison, and Stone follow the mob to Chinatown, where they find Lee in the midst of the war zone. Bill calls out to Lee, but he continues to push forward. By the end, Lee kills Tully, the reconfrcements come to end the riot, and Bill heads to the Banshee, where he allows Ah Sahm and the Hop Wei to cut down Jacob.^[17]

Lee turns in his badge and gun, prepared to resign. He's starting to feel helpless, as if they're simply trapped in an endless circle of violence. Bill has been telling him this since his arrival, but he continues to do it because there's still a chance every day to do some good and keep the peace. Bill pleads with Lee to stay, as he needs him, but Lee no longer believes that he's cut out to be a cop, to which Bill replies "You can teach a pig to hunt, but that don't make him a dog," meaning that Lee's a cop no matter what.

Bill and Leary have a drink together and discuss their respective moral dilemmas. Leary then confronts Bill for collecting for the Chinese, which he admits is true, but he buried them because they had him trapped. Bill assures Leary that it won't happen again, but for that, Leary informs him that a bill will come due. Bill then returns home to find Lucy awaiting his return. She heard about the riot and wanted to make sure he was okay. Bill explains that he never intended for this to happen. He went out there with the intent of doing good, but at some point, it stopped being an option. A better man would've made better choices, but he thinks he can still be that man and pleads with Lucy not to leave him.^[18]

At odds with the new chief

With Chief Flannagan having passed, Bill visits Lucy and the kids to discuss the likelihood of him moving up to police chief and finally getting out of Chinatown. However, until it happens, Lucy refuses to come home. And unfortunately for Bill, Mayor Buckley has another candidate in mind, introducing Bill to Benjamin Atwood, the new Chief of Police. And so, Bill decides to pay Lee a visit, revealing that he's still holding on to Lee's badge in case he ever wants to come back. He could use some help dealing with the new chief, but Lee refuses to return to the force.^[19]

Bill watches in disbelief as Atwood conducts a raid on a local Chinatown building, aggressively and violently attacking the tenants, putting Bill at odds with the new chief, which he shares with Lucy, who understands that he's trying, but she will return home no sooner than he leaves Chinatown. On his way out, Horace approaches Bill and offers him a job at his cement factory. Bill suspects Lucy put him up to this, which admittedly, she did. In either case, Horace tells Bill that the offer stands.^[20]

Significant kills

• Jack Damon — After being pressured by Jack to pay his debt to the casinos, Bill sets Jack up to be beaten by Dylan Leary. After being left on the ground barely conscious by Leary, Bill proceeded to kill Jack.^[3]
• Fung Hai hatchet men — Bill kills members from the Fung Hai after they attack him and his family at his home for failing to pay his debt.^[12]

Appearances

Season 1

• The Itchy Onion
• There's No China in the Bible
• John Chinaman
• The White Mountain
• The Blood and the Sh*t (credit only)
• Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Stepped On
• The Tiger and the Fox
• They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think
• Chinese Boxing
• If You're Going to Bow, Bow Low

Season 2

• Learn to Endure, or Hire a Bodyguard
• The Chinese Connection
• Not How We Do Business
• If You Don't See Blood, You Didn't Come to Play
• Not for a Drink, a F*ck, or a G**damn Prayer
• To a Man with a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail (credit only)
• If You Wait by the River Long Enough
• All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic
• Enter the Dragon
• Man on the Wall

Season 3

• Exactly the Wrong Time to Get Proud
• Anything Short of a Blow to the Head
• No Time for F*cking Chemistry

Behind the scenes

• Bill is portrayed by Kieran Bew.

Gallery

References