Character Analysis
There are two incidences involving cops in this book, and not a single one of the cops comes out looking particularly good.
The cops we meet come to Elinor's house in response to her report that a book has been stolen after Basta and his men show up and leave with Mo. They don't seem to take the crime too seriously, since they "exchanged amused glances" (8.26) at the only charge being a stolen book. It sounds like they're not the most literate of policemen out there.
Later on when Elinor leaves Capricorn's village to seek help, she finds these two other officers: "The younger of the two men, who was broad and snub-nosed like a pug dog, laughed at Elinor when she told her story, and asked whether she looked so red in the face, perhaps, because she liked the local wine a little too much" (50.4). He sounds like a jerk… and totally unhelpful to boot.
However, the other cop makes jerkface stop teasing Elinor. He takes Elinor seriously, and drives with her to Capricorn's village to check it out… only to hand Elinor over to Capricorn, because he's been in Capricorn's pocket all along. Dagnabbit. It turns out Capricorn knows that he has three small kids and is willing to threaten them to make the policeman do what he wants. Sigh.