Character Spotlight: Chief Wiggum

Note: This was written before the start of Season 26; any new information regarding Chief Wiggum from Season 26 on is not covered here.

Character: Clancy "Chief" Wiggum, voiced by Hank Azaria

First Episode: Homer’s Odyssey (S01, E03-003)

Occupation: Springfield’s Chief of Police

General Demeanor
Chief Wiggum is often depicted as an incompetent policeman, often unaware of most police procedures or operations (though the level of unawareness varies by episode).  In earlier episodes, Wiggum can sometimes be seen clashing with Mayor Quimby over control of emergency situations, but later episodes have often had Wiggum at odds with one of his lieutenants, Lou, as the latter is often unimpressed with Wiggum's quips or comments.  Sometimes, Wiggum is portrayed as a competent cop, but often times in these instances he's simultaneously portrayed as an ultra-strict antagonistic cop.  Wiggum is very open to bribes as well, especially from Fat Tony and his mafia, but he has been known to have some standards when it comes to what he'll accept as bribes.  He's also protective of his position as Chief of Police, not really able to deal with situations when his position or power is questioned or outright removed.

Clancy is a family man, married to a similar-looking woman named Sara, and he has an eight year old boy, the special needs child Ralph Wiggum.  While Sara is not used too often, Clancy's interactions with Ralph usually boil down to him going along with Ralph's imaginary adventures.

Wiggum's voice has softened throughout the years; the first few seasons his voice is hardened, kinda like the cops you'd find in 50s flicks or whatnot.  Later, when Clancy's oafishness character is more developed, his voice lightens up and he's hardly ever as serious in his dialogue as he previously was.

Key Character Moments
The Rise of the Simpsons
Wiggum, a background character, doesn't have much room to shine in the first couple of seasons.  Its also notable that, for a short time, Wiggum is depicted with black hair before it permanently becomes blue.

The Golden Age of the Simpsons
Chief Wiggum remains a background character, used whenever the police need to be around.  He starts to appear more often as Ralph Wiggum's character develops, though in those Ralph-focused episodes Clancy's involvement varies wildly.  Wiggum is also featured in Sideshow Bob episodes, where he's much more focused in jailing Bob than understanding anything that really happened, most notably in Brother from Another Series when Bob didn't even commit a crime.

In Season 5's Homer's Barbershop Quartet, its revealed Clancy is one of the original members of the "Be Sharps" alongside Skinner, Homer and Apu, however when a recording studio attempts to make the group big, Wiggum's low-to-average singing voice needs to go, so Homer unceremoniously dumps him and the group goes with Barney instead.  Its something Wiggum still holds a grudge for to this day.

Wiggum can sometimes be compared to Homer but in a police uniform, and the similarities really show themselves in Marge on the Lam, also Season 5.  With Marge and her friend Ruth Powers on the run because the latter stole her ex's car, Homer and Clancy ultimately go together to stop them.

Lisa on Ice has Clancy as the head coach of Bart's peewee hockey team, whose apparent biggest rival is Apu's team who acquired budding goalie Lisa Simpson.  Wiggum willingly allows prisoners to go watch the game despite only a verbal promise by Snake and others to go back.

Season 6's The Springfield Connection has Marge join the police force, where its shown the its not just Wiggum that's incompetent and corrupt - basically the entire force is as well.

Wiggum becomes a major character in Who Shot Mr. Burns?, particularly in Part 2 where he attempts to figure out who shot the old man.  Although his police work, at times, seems pretty good his leads and clues ultimately lead him to arresting Homer Simpson for the crime, though it was really his baby daughter who did it. ...

Season 7's Mother Simpson is heavy on Homer's backstory, but also reveals Wiggum's past as well, a security guard in training but dealing with terrible asthma, he was cured from it during Mona Simpson's attack on Burns' germ ward.  As thanks, he anonymously warns Homer and Mona when Burns closes in on her.

Wiggum faces his biggest crisis yet in Season 8's Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment where he is removed from his duties not only from not enforcing the newly formed prohibition laws, but actively breaking them as well.  He's replaced with the straight-laced Rex Banner, and is forced into poverty.  Homer, having just retired from being the "Beer Baron", feels pity for Wiggum and decides to let Wiggum "catch" him, a duty Banner had been tasked with completing from nearly the start.  Wiggum gets his job back and gleefully finds an opportunity to catapult Banner out of Springfield.

The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase features a supposed 'spin-off' featuring Wiggum and Seymour Skinner running a private eye agency in New Orleans along with Ralph (but not Sara).  He encounters crime lord Big Daddy and saves Ralph in the first of what was sure to be multiple encounters with Big Daddy.

 
The Fall of the Simpsons
In Season 9's This Little Wiggy, the relationship between Clancy and his son Ralph are expanded by a little bit where its revealed that Clancy actively encourages Ralph's imagination though he admits it doesn't do much towards Ralph making friends.  He's thrilled when he learns Bart is "friends" with Ralph.

Season 10's Wild Barts Can't Be Broken turns Wiggum into a major antagonist as he 'determines' a drunken rampage by Homer and his friends was actually the work of rambunctious kids and enacts a strict curfew as a response.  As a kids coalition led by (presumably) Bart and Lisa comes to a head with Clancy, the seniors citizens take over and enforce the curfew on everyone except them.

Zombie Simpsons
Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge, a Season 13 episode, showcases Wiggum's inability to control looting and such.  When Homer's start up security company does a much better job than Wiggum's police force, Mayor Quimby basically fires Wiggum and replaces him with Homer's company.

In Season 16's Pranksta Rap, Wiggum 'saves' Bart from the supposed kidnapper Kirk Van Houten, an act which rewards Wiggum with a promotion to Police Commissioner.  However, when Bart reveals the kidnapping as a ruse to hide what he actually did that night, Wiggum along with Kirk, Bart and Homer all agree to keep the ruse a secret as all their lives have been made better as a result.

Zombie Simpsons HD
In Season 21's Chief of Hearts, Wiggum and Homer become the best of friends, going through the highs and lows of said friendship.

There are more episodes these past several seasons that feature Chief Wiggum in decent amounts, but the episodes listed are ones that really focus on Wiggum and his character and/or backstory.

Must Watch Episodes That Focus on Chief Wiggum
Marge on the Lam
The Springfield Connection
Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 2
Mother Simpson

Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment

The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase