The Minority Report

Current (soon to be former) Police Commissioner Anderton helped create the Precrime system and “worked out the [precog] theory” 30 years before the story begins (74). At the opening of “The Minority Report,” Anderton is insecure about his increasing age and looming retirement. He is reluctant to pass the baton to his new, younger assistant, Ed Witwer, and he is prone to paranoia. After seeing the punchcard with his alleged future crime, he suspects Witwer of acting on behalf of the Senate and trying to usurp Anderton’s position as commissioner. Lisa also comes under suspicion for her friendly demeanor toward Witwer upon their first meeting. Over the course of the story, Anderton will also come to distrust Wally Page, Fleming, and finally Kaplan.

While depicted as experienced and intelligent, Anderton is easily manipulated by Kaplan and Fleming, perhaps due to his tendencies toward mistrust; radio broadcasts and other external messaging also sway him. He does eventually rely on his own judgment after viewing all three precog reports about his case, deciding to fulfill the prophecy by killing Kaplan, though whether this is his expression of free will or merely predestination is up to reader interpretation.

Anderton’s final character development is his acceptance of his exile to Centaurus X—his punishment for committing murder—and his yielding the power and burden of his position to Witwer (albeit in a sardonic, mentor/protégé fashion).