"Dirty Harry, for example. Clint Eastwood was not a rogue cop. He was a maverick cop, but he was a good guy"

Charlton Heston's quote about the iconic character Dirty Harry, portrayed by Clint Eastwood, encapsulates a nuanced perspective on the archetype of the radical police in American cinema. It distinguishes between being a "rogue" police officer and a "maverick" police, recommending that while Dirty Harry might have operated outside traditional law enforcement procedures, he was fundamentally driven by a sense of justice and ethical righteousness.

In this context, a "rogue" police implies somebody who may be corrupt or operate outside the law for individual gain. Such a character might neglect moral or ethical boundaries, possibly engaging in unlawful or immoral activities. This negative connotation of "rogue" suggests a divergence from societal and legal norms in a manner that is self-serving or harmful to justice.

On the other hand, Heston labels Dirty Harry as a "radical" police. The term "radical" suggests a person who is independent, unorthodox, and often challenges the status quo-- however not always for nefarious factors. Instead, a radical functions within an ethical structure that focuses on justice, albeit through unconventional techniques. Unclean Harry's techniques may be unorthodox, but his primary objective is to secure innocents and maintain justice, even when the system itself appears ineffective or flawed.

Heston's defense of Eastwood's character suggests an intricacy within the figure of Dirty Harry, arguing that despite his unconventional methods and sometimes ruthless behavior, he stays a "hero" at heart. This idea challenges audiences to reevaluate the balance between justice and the law, and whether in some cases bending rules might be required to accomplish a higher good.

Through this distinction, Heston acknowledges the layered nature of heroism within the law enforcement story, where ethical stability is retained despite the disobedience against administrative restraints. The quote welcomes a more comprehensive reflection on what it means to be a hero and how societal standards might sometimes contravene individual values, especially when challenging criminal offense and injustice.