We Own This City, HBO’s most recent crime drama, tells the story of the other side of the criminal world. The miniseries tells the bleak and disturbing story of corrupt cops in the Baltimore Police Department, specifical officers from the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF).
Based on true events, the six-episode miniseries focuses on some of the GTTF unit’s key members while also attempting to shed light on the numerous complaints and criminal activities that land officers in jail.
The much-anticipated drama follows a group of men from the Baltimore police department who have fallen from grace, as well as the crimes in which they have become involved. Daniel Hersl is one such name. Here’s everything you need to know about the movie’s corrupt cop from Baltimore.
Who is Daniel Hersl From We Own This City?
Daniel Hersl (Josh Charles) is one of the infamous Baltimore GTTF unit police officers who was on the radar for his rather problematic approach to maintaining law and order on the streets.
Despite mounting complaints, he remained on the streets, working and harassing ordinary people for no apparent reason. It wasn’t until attorney Nicole Steele (Wunmi Mosaku) investigated the cop that he was called out for his almost illegal methods of doing his job.
The first episode of We Owns This City attempts to introduce us to Hersl and several other police officers who were caught engaging in illegal activities. Hersl is portrayed as a ‘bad cop,’ wry in his confrontations and always willing to harass ordinary people. This, along with a number of other factors, landed him in prison.
Daniel Hersl was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2018
Daniel Hersl is a former police detective who was one of many officers charged with multiple crimes during his tenure on the force. These offenses included harassment, allegedly abusive behavior, robbery, and racketeering. He was also convicted of drug trafficking and theft.
#WeOwnThisCity @hbo @hbomax April 25 9p Jon Bernthal (The Punisher, The Walking Dead, We Own This City)
Reinaldo Marcus Green (Director Of KING RICHARD & WE OWN THIS CITY) Jamie Hector (The Wire, Bosch, WE OWN THIS CITY) Tray Chaney (The Wire, SaintsAndSinners, We Own This City) pic.twitter.com/yGaQsKFc4h— Tray Chaney (@traychaney) April 22, 2022
In the first episode, the HBO series delves into Hersl’s criminal side by portraying him in a very negative light, harassing black people, and even breaking someone’s jaw after illegally withholding him.
Hersl was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2018 for his numerous activities. He is currently being held at the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.
Despite numerous allegations, he pleaded not guilty and justified his problematic behavior by claiming that he took an aggressive stance in order to protect the city, his fellow police officers, and himself from extremely dangerous drug trade activities.
