Louis Sobotka is a former police officer and a key member of Frank Sobotka’s union in The Wire. He is Frank’s brother and works alongside the dockworkers connected to the International Brotherhood of Stevedores.
Louis is easy to confuse with Nick Sobotka, who is Frank’s nephew and an active dockworker involved in the smuggling plot, or Ziggy Sobotka, Frank’s troubled son. Johnny “Fifty” Spamanto is also a union dockworker, but he is a former cargo checker—not a former police officer. Louis has a smaller role in season two, yet his family connection and background make him the correct choice.