# Tom Polhaus — The Maltese Falcon character guide

> Tom Polhaus in The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Polhaus, big Tom, Sergeant Polhaus

**First appearance:** 0003-ii-death-in-the-fog

## Who they are

A big, friendly police sergeant who works the Archer murder case and treats Spade with an ease his lieutenant clearly doesn't share.

## Relationships

### [Sam Spade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/sam_spade)

_friendship_

A friendly but professional rapport, with Polhaus as a decent cop who respects Spade's skills while trying to keep him on the right side of the law.

### [Sam Spade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/sam_spade)

_friendship_

A friendly but professional rapport, with Polhaus as a decent cop who respects Spade's skills while trying to keep him on the right side of the law.

### [Sam Spade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/sam_spade)

_friendship_

A friendly but professional rapport, with Polhaus as a decent cop who respects Spade's skills while trying to keep him on the right side of the law.

## In the story

### [Death in the Fog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/ii-death-in-the-fog)

Accompanies Dundy to Spade's apartment; tries to mediate and urges Spade to cooperate.

### [VII: G in the Air](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/vii-g-in-the-air)

Accompanies Dundy to Spade's apartment and witnesses the disturbance.

### [Horse Feathers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/viii-horse-feathers)

Accompanies Dundy to Spade's apartment. He is skeptical of the situation and tries to calm Spade, muttering 'I hope to God you know what you're doing.'

### [XV: Every Crackpot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xv-every-crackpot)

Polhaus meets Spade for a meal, attempting to mediate between Spade and Dundy. He reveals that Thursby's Webley gun was used to kill Archer.

### [XX: If They Hang You](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/xx-if-they-hang-you)

Arrives with Dundy to arrest Gutman and Cairo; reports Gutman's death by Wilmer.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters/tom_polhaus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/characters