Raymond Holt
Captain Raymond Holt is an elephant and the commanding officer of Precinct 99. He is known for his stoic demeanor, unwavering integrity, and dry wit that surfaces in the most unexpected moments.
"Guard what you have built." -- Captain Holt
Background
Raymond Holt is the captain of Precinct 99, one of the ZPD's most effective—if eccentric—precincts. His leadership style is defined by discipline, precision, and an unflappable composure that his detectives have spent years trying to crack. Despite his outward rigidity, Holt cares deeply about his squad and has shaped them into a cohesive unit through sheer force of principled example.
His advice to the pack—"Guard what you have built"—reflects his understanding that the hardest part of any achievement is maintaining it.
Personality
Holt is precise, principled, and deliberately reserved. He speaks in measured, carefully constructed sentences and rarely betrays emotion—making the moments when he does all the more powerful. His humor is bone-dry and often delivered with such deadpan sincerity that it takes a beat to register.
He values competence, integrity, and loyalty above all else. While he can appear rigid, his leadership is rooted in genuine care for the mammals under his command. He leads by example, holding himself to the same exacting standards he expects of others.
Series Appearances
Season 1: Precinct 99 and The First Heist (S01E11-12)
In S01E11, Holt counsels Pawbert on identity, drawing from his own experience as an openly gay elephant in law enforcement. When Pawbert asks how he survived institutional hostility, Holt answers: "By being exactly who I am, without apology." He also offers Pawbert a broader perspective on the pack's significance: "You have found mammals who stand with you. That is not a small thing."
Captain Holt oversees Precinct 99's first crossover with the pack during the Halloween Heist in S01E12. His stoic authority provides a counterbalance to the chaos of Jake's heist theatrics. He observes Pawbert's unexpected victory with characteristic restraint.
Season 2: The Security Audit (S02E13-14)
Holt returns with his squad when Precinct 99 requests the pack's help with a money laundering case connected to the Clawrence investigation. When Jake proposes holding the second Halloween Heist at the pack's safehouse, Holt reframes the entire exercise as a legitimate security operation, telling the pack: "I am suggesting you transform a recreational tradition into tactical intelligence."
Drawing on personal experience, Holt notes that his husband Kevin once spent time in a safehouse under Jake's protection during a difficult period. He vouches for his squad despite their eccentricities: "The mammals of the Ninety-Nine are unconventional. Chaotic. Frequently irritating. But they are also trustworthy." He then delivers a callback to his advice from the first heist: "I believe you have found what I told you to look for. Mammals who stand with you."
During the heist itself, Holt allies with Pawbert in a strategy that plays to both their strengths. Holt serves as the visible decoy while Pawbert operates unseen. At a key moment, Holt creates an opening by loudly observing: "Does anyone else find it peculiar that Detective Peralta and Mr. Lynxley sound eerily similar?" While everyone processes this non sequitur, Pawbert executes the trophy swap.
When Jake discovers the deception, Holt explains their approach: "I was the visible threat. Everyone anticipated my movements. No one watched his."
After midnight, Holt presents Luther with a comprehensive security assessment on index cards: seven potential entry points identified, four significant vulnerabilities, and three surveillance gaps including the kitchen blind spot. His parting words to Pawbert acknowledge the pack's progress: "The mammals who stand with you have done their work well."
Season 5: The Otterdam Heist (S05E08-09)
During the Icener crisis, Holt participates in the third heist—the Frost Crown data theft from the Otterdam shipping facility. On arrival at the mansion, he surveys the corkboard and tells Pawbert it is gratifying to observe the life he has built. Before the operation, he frames the night's purpose with characteristic precision: all heists have consequences, and tonight they pursue victory. He coordinates the operation from the surveillance van alongside Amy, providing steady command that anchors the heist's controlled chaos. After the successful extraction, Holt quietly tells Luther that leadership is often invisible until it is absent—acknowledging what Luther has built at the mansion without overstating it.
Season 5: The Wedding (S05E24)
Holt attends the double wedding. His advice to the pack—"Guard what you have built"—carries the weight of a mammal who understands what it costs to build something lasting against institutional resistance.
Key Relationships
Jake Peralta
Holt's most challenging and most valued detective. Their relationship is defined by friction that masks deep mutual respect—Holt's discipline against Jake's chaos, unified by shared commitment to the work.
Pawbert Pawthorne
Holt regards Pawbert's transformation with quiet approval. His advice to "guard what you have built" speaks directly to Pawbert's journey from destruction to construction.
Chief Bogo
As fellow precinct commanders within the ZPD, Holt and Bogo share a professional respect rooted in their parallel roles leading unconventional teams.
Key Quotes
"I am suggesting you transform a recreational tradition into tactical intelligence." -- S02E13, reframing the heist as a security audit
"The mammals of the Ninety-Nine are unconventional. Chaotic. Frequently irritating. But they are also trustworthy." -- S02E13, vouching for his squad
"I believe you have found what I told you to look for. Mammals who stand with you." -- S02E13, callback to S01 advice
"Does anyone else find it peculiar that Detective Peralta and Mr. Lynxley sound eerily similar?" -- S02E14, vocal distraction during the heist
"I was the visible threat. Everyone anticipated my movements. No one watched his." -- S02E14, explaining the alliance strategy
"The mammals who stand with you have done their work well." -- S02E14, parting words to Pawbert
"By being exactly who I am, without apology." -- S01E11, counseling Pawbert on identity
"You have found mammals who stand with you. That is not a small thing." -- S01E11, on the pack's significance
"Guard what you have built." -- S05E24, advice at the double wedding
Trivia
- Holt is an elephant, making him one of the physically largest characters in the series.
- His deadpan delivery contrasts sharply with Jake's theatrical energy, a dynamic that carries across all four crossover arcs.