Mayor Webb Schubert: What made you change your mind about Tibbs?
Gillespie: Who said I did?
Mayor Webb Schubert: [refering to Tibbs' slapping of a white man] Last Chief we had would've shot Tibbs two seconds after he slapped him and claimed Self Defense !

Chief Gillespie: You take care, y'hear?
Virgil Tibbs: Yeah.

Gillespie: [on telephone to Tibbs' chief] I do want to thank you for offering such a powerful piece of manpower as Virgil Tibbs.

Gillespie: Whatcha hit him with?
Tibbs: Hit whom?
Gillespie: "Whom"? Are you a northern boy? What's a northern boy doing down here?

Virgil Tibbs: They call me MISTER Tibbs!

Mrs. Leslie Colbert: I came by to make it as clear as I possibly can: that I do not want the Negro officer taken off this case.
Mayor Webb Schubert: Negro officer?
Chief Gillespie: Yeah, well he, uh...he comes from up North, you see, and he was, uh, kinda...passing through--
Mrs. Leslie Colbert: I don't care what he is. If it wasn't for him, your impartial chief of police would still have the wrong man behind bars. I want that officer given a free hand, otherwise I will pack up my husband's engineers...and leave you...to yourselves.

[describing Chief Gillespie]
Harvey Oberst: Got no more smile than a turnip.