Det. Tom Walsh
Tom Walsh is one of the two main protagonists in the 1982 drama thriller film Vice Squad.
He is portrayed by Gary Swanson.
Thomas "Tom" Walsh is a man who works for the L.A.P.D. in Vice. He is a detective who has worked the streets for many years dealing with pimps and hookers. Tom Walsh and his partner, Det. Edwards, get a call from dispatch about Ginger, a prostitute found in a hotel, beaten up by her pimp named Ramrod, who is known to be very abusive with his hookers. Tom Walsh goes visit Ginger at the hospital and is saddened by her condition. Tom knows that it is Ramrod who did it to her. Ginger dies on her bed, Tom Walsh is sad and angry and now wants to go after Ramrod.
Det. Walsh gets a prostitute known as "Princess", who is friends with Ginger and takes her to the hospital. Tom tells Princess he knows about her drug rap, she might do time in jail, even though Princess does not do drugs but she has been found with drugs on her before cause she was delivering them to Ginger. Tom talks about Ginger and shows Princess her body and Princess gets angry and upset. Tom needs her help to bring down Ramrod, but Princess is reluctant cause she knows how he is. Princess agrees to do it, with little choice.
Tom has Princess wear a wire and go into the bar and pretend she wants to work for him. Detective Walsh, along with Edwards, and other detectives Kowalski, Mendez, and a few others follow Ramrod to his loft and listen in on their conversation. Tom and the other detectives break down the door and arrest Ramrod with difficulty. Princess reveals to Ramrod she set him up cause of what he did to Ginger. Later on that night, Tom and Princess have a hot dog at a little place in Los Angeles. Ramrod escapes custody of Kowalski and Mendez. Tom finds out and is pissed off and now knows that Princess is in danger.
Det. Walsh sets out to find Princess and Ramrod and find a sugar pimp named Dorsey wounded by Ramrod. One of Princess's friends, Coco, a prostitute is mortally wounded. Blue Chips and Dixie, friends of Princess see Princess at a storefront and then sees Ramrod. Ramrod goes after Princess, killing Dixie. Tom Walsh and Det. Edwards spot Ramrod, who has Princess, but not let him known they are trailing him. Tom follows Ramrod to his loft and save Princess from nearly getting beaten to death with a pimpstick. Tom goes after Ramrod and chases Ramrod in his car. Ramrod goes down an alley and Walsh drives his car into Ramrod, who was shooting at him and pins him to the wall with his car, not killing him. Ramrod tries to reach for his gun, but Tom Walsh shoots Ramrod dead. In the morning, Princess is about to be taken away in an ambulance and gives her the Teddy Bear she bought for her daughter. She asks Tom "Why do you do it?, you are never going to change the streets".