Carey Mahoney

Sgt. Carey Mahoney (formerly Cdt. and Off.) is the main protagonist for the first four films. Mahoney is known as a womanising delinquent, but a good police officer.

He is portrayed by Steve Guttenburg.

Police Academy
"Lot's full, Mister!"

-Mahoney's first line.

Mahoney parks cars for a living and is often in trouble with the police. After Mahoney is forced to park a car when there are no spaces and crashes it instead, Reed, who was a friend of Mahoney's father (a policeman), tells Mahoney he can either go to lock up or the Police Academy. Mahoney insists on bringing Larvell Jones, a man he met at the station only moments earlier. Reed informs Mahoney that if he quits, he will go to lock up, to Mahoney makes a plan to get thrown out instead.

Once there, Mahoney instantly befriends George Martin, a ladies' man. Mahoney then flirts with Karen Thompson by imitating an instructor, immediately getting on the wrong side of Lt. Harris. When asked by Barbara where to get clothes, Mahoney sends him to Lassard's house. Despite Mahoney's insistance that he must be roomed with Jones, Harris places him with Eugene Tackleberry, a gun enthusiast. During the physical training, Mahoney severely rips his trousers and Harris sends him to get another pair. He returns with a mega phone he has wiped black shoe polish on and tricks Harris into circling his mouth with the shoe polish. Harris then makes Copland and Blankes run Mahoney until he throws up. He is then pressured into doing 100 push ups and Blankes makes Mahoney fall face first into his used socks. Barbara seeks Mahoney's help when he discovers Blankes and Copland have sneaked a prostitute into his room as revenge. Mahoney hides her under a podeum as Lassard gives a speech. When Harris tries to get Mahoney thrown out, he decides he wants to stay, having fallen in love with Thompson.

Copland and Blankes force Barbara to find out where the party will be from Mahoney. He gives Barbara the address of The Blue Oyster, a gay bar. At the party, he meets up with Thompson, and they make love on the beach. Hightower asks Mahoney to help him prepare for the driving test and they end up destroying Copland's car. When Blankes and Copland confront Mahoney, Barbara starts a fight with them in Mahoney's defence. When Harris threatens to throw Barbara out, Mahoney takes the blame and allows himself to be thrown out.

However, when the cadets must get into their riot geer, Mahoney sneaks onto the scene. Mahoney, Jones and George are pursued through the streets until they jump into Lassard's car. Mahoney later finds Thompson trapped behind a crate as she hides from an armed man who has captured Harris. He's able to create a distraction so she can escape, but ends up becoming a prisoner alongside Harris. Hightower then repays the debt he owes to Mahoney by saving them.

Mahoney and Hightower each earn medals and give speeches and Mahoney shares a celebration kiss with Thompson, having graduated much to Harris's displeasure.