Raising Kanan’ S4E2: Corruption, Cover-Ups & a Cold Case

NYPD Commissioner Bernard Rooney makes a sensational statement about the department’s investigation into Detective Malcolm Howard’s connections to the drug trade. After conducting an exhaustive investigation, the NYPD has determined that Howard was involved in narcotics operations with Ronald Mathis, a prominent drug distributor, as confirmed by Rooney. The department had been looking into Howard’s connection to the Queens drug scene, but the case is now closed—at least for now.

According to Rooney, evidence suggests that foreign nationals committed the murders linked to this operation. While efforts will continue to identify them, the local investigation is officially closed. The announcement poses more questions than it answers, particularly regarding Detective Shannon Burke’s alleged suicide. Rooney reaffirms the department’s belief that she took her own life when pressed: ‘We absolutely do.’

Despite these revelations, he insists that the NYPD remains one of the most professional forces in the world and dismisses Howard’s corruption as a lone incident rather than a pattern. He also promises new systemic changes to rebuild public trust, but his words ring hollow in a city where backroom deals and street politics often hold more power than the law itself. The ripple effects of this announcement are felt instantly in the underworld.

The crew feels a sense of cautious relief as the NYPD task force disbands and the investigation into Marvin appears on hold. Not everyone is convinced that the heat is off permanently. The warning is apparent in a world where alliances shift and trust is fragile: stay sharp and don’t get too comfortable. Raising Kanan Season 4 brings more complexity to the tension between the streets and the law. The police appear to have ended Howard’s crimes, but the real question remains: Is this case truly over, or is it just another chapter in an ongoing power struggle?