He had to be careful. He was a black man in the deep south. Any uppity moves could have been deadly.

Sure, but Wood got mad when he just started reaching for his ID - or maybe a gun? - without saying anything.

Chief Gillespie even was mad at Wood for not checking his ID first. But if he hadn't made that "mistake" it would have been the same: no movie, and Harvey Oberst gets hanged or something.

@Knixon said:

didn't just say "I'm a police officer" right there at the train station. And then shown his ID.

Officer Wood acted confrontational from the moment he saw Mr. Tibbs. He told him to stand up and when Mr. Tibbs moved one of his hands, Wood drew his gun and pointed it at him, ready to shoot - trigger happy?. Mr. Tibbs had to do exactly as he said. If he had opened his mouth or made any other move - "You move before I tell you to, boy, by God, I'm gonna clean your plough" - he could have been shot. He was lucky that Wood didn't shoot him right there and then at first sight - but then the film would have been over too quickly. He wisely said nothing and didn't make any other moves like trying to show his ID. He did exactly as Wood ordered him to do. It was the 60s.

Videoclip (Spanish).

Anyway, even if Mr. Tibbs had identified himself as a police officer, Wood might still have not believed him and shot him the moment he went to show his ID. To this day there is this perception that a black man is automatically feared and many white police will shoot first and ask questions later.

Mr. Tibbs only had a chance to identify himself as a police officer, without the risk of getting shot - when there was no one pointing a gun at him - while being interrogated by Police chief Gillespie. And then, after that, they mocked him, showing their disdain and disbelief that a black man could be a police officer earning in a week more than they earned in a month.

@Knixon said:

didn't just say "I'm a police officer" right there at the train station. And then shown his ID.

Of course, then there wouldn't have been a movie. Harvey Oberst would probably have been convicted and executed.

Fascinating point.

"THEY CALL ME MR. TIBBS!!"

@wonder2wonder said:

@Knixon said:

didn't just say "I'm a police officer" right there at the train station. And then shown his ID.

Officer Wood acted confrontational from the moment he saw Mr. Tibbs. He told him to stand up and when Mr. Tibbs moved one of his hands, Wood drew his gun and pointed it at him, ready to shoot - trigger happy?. Mr. Tibbs had to do exactly as he said. If he had opened his mouth or made any other move - "You move before I tell you to, boy, by God, I'm gonna clean your plough" - he could have been shot. He was lucky that Wood didn't shoot him right there and then at first sight - but then the film would have been over too quickly. He wisely said nothing and didn't make any other moves like trying to show his ID. He did exactly as Wood ordered him to do. It was the 60s.

Videoclip (Spanish).

Anyway, even if Mr. Tibbs had identified himself as a police officer, Wood might still have not believed him and shot him the moment he went to show his ID. To this day there is this perception that a black man is automatically feared and many white police will shoot first and ask questions later.

Mr. Tibbs only had a chance to identify himself as a police officer, without the risk of getting shot - when there was no one pointing a gun at him - while being interrogated by Police chief Gillespie. And then, after that, they mocked him, showing their disdain and disbelief that a black man could be a police officer earning in a week more than they earned in a month.

Actually the questioning about income was from finding the money in his wallet, and assuming he could only have gotten that much from the murder, before he identified himself as a police officer.

And the first mistake Tibbs made was reaching for his ID BEFORE saying he was a police officer, and then perhaps asking permission to prove it.

The only "reason" for doing that at the police station instead, was Because Plot/Because Drama, and if Tibbs had been left alone at the station after identifying himself there wouldn't have been a movie.

Of course, even after showing his identification, Wood could still have brought him to the station for the phone call to his captain, etc, but that would have been less dramatic.

And they made fun of his name more than anything.

As I've said, Wood would probably not have believed Mr. Tibbs, and if he had moved to get his ID, he could have been shot. Wood just waited for any excuse to do that. If you're approached by a police officer do exactly as they say. Speak only if they give you permission when for example they ask you a question. Anything could be misconstrued and it could have gone seriously wrong. This was a very tense situation and Mr. Tibbs acted correctly. He knew what he was doing to stay alive at that moment.

But evidently Gillespie thought Wood should have asked first. Which probably means it was department policy, that Wood ignored.

Ultimately, Wood could have gone into the train depot and just shot Tibbs for nothing at all.

@Knixon said:

But evidently Gillespie thought Wood should have asked first. Which probably means it was department policy, that Wood ignored.

Ultimately, Wood could have gone into the train depot and just shot Tibbs for nothing at all.

Wood wasn't too smart. He was prejudiced and thought that any black person with that much money must have stolen it. He could have shot Mr. Tibbs if he really wanted to, but probably thought that he'd get a medal or promotion for arresting the killer of a white man alive and then see him hanged.