“Blue Bloods” cops are a different kind of loyal. Everything is about loyalty to the badge, the city, and each other. So when you get the top cop of New York City in a room with his police liaison and detective number two, it can get pretty blue. This is where NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Garrett Moore (Gregory Jbara) comes in. As Police Commissioner Frank Reagan’s (Tom Selleck) de facto chief of staff, he keeps the office from going off the deep end. Reagan is very close with Moore and greatly trusts him, making Moore a key figure in the show.
One of the aspects that makes Moore so valuable is that he was never a police officer. As a matter of fact, before he was appointed to his current position, Moore spent time as a reporter. This lack of service to the badge is a sticking point for the group, as they will often point out this fact in order to employ the “you just don’t get it” trope. In defense of the others, Moore often brings it up first, meaning that it’s something he sees as a weakness when in the room with three seasoned NYPD veterans. In reality, his lack of service as a police officer is one of his most valuable assets, bringing a rational and unbiased voice to the emotionally charged moments when the police face criticism.
In a series centered around the Reagan family, Moore is a supporting character who doesn’t get much screen time or storyline focus. However, with his limited time in the spotlight, he still finds a way to make a statement. This is Moore’s best moment in “Blue Bloods.”
He’s more than a mouthpiece
Since Garrett Moore burst into Frank Reagan’s office for the first time in Season 1, Episode 20, “All That Glitters,” he’s been the press’ voice in the room. He has a knack for predicting how the media will think, the questions they will ask, and when they will see through the blue veil of ambiguity. This talent helps prevent Reagan from stepping on a landmine and making the department look bad on more than one occasion.
But in Season 10, Episode 9, “Grave Errors,” Moore shows that he is more than a mouthpiece. The newly elected mayor of New York, Peter Chase (Dylan Walsh), gives Reagan the directive to make some staff changes, namely to replace Moore. At the same time, Moore receives a well-timed job offer. While the job offer seems like a blessing to Reagan and Moore, giving them the opportunity to avoid the awkward moment of having to let him go, they both also see it for what it is — a ruse to get rid of him. Moore speaks up to his friend and colleague and decides to stick to his guns and defend his position as the DCPI. By the end of the episode, Reagan and Moore stand firmly together and inform Mayor Chase that Moore will remain in his current job.
There are numerous times when Reagan has the opportunity (maybe even the responsibility) to fire Moore. From his mistake with a con artist to the gifting scandal, Reagan never wavers from supporting him. When faced with a great job and the chance to jump ship and end an era, Moore elects to stay on and continue his work with Reagan. Moore often finds himself the odd man out in a room full of police officers, but he shows in this “Blue Bloods” moment that loyalty can go beyond the badge and that there is more to him than a silver tongue.