Detective Steven Fine is Detective Joe Bourquin's partner.
Story
They both investigate Edward Blake's death and suggest he was robbed by Knot Tops or thugs who were on drugs. They let it "drop out of sight," saying that in a big city like that lots of things happen and they don't all need reasons, out of fear that they'll have to deal with Rorschach's intervention.[1]
The two of them also investigate other cases throughout the novel, like a sudden murder of Clare Hirsch and Dominique Hirsch; Steve also interrogates Mrs. Hirsch, the mother of the victims.[2]
That evening Bourquin complained that Fine neglected investigating Blake's file or to answer the phone. Fine (against standard procedure) was perusing evidence from the Hirsch house, namely a Grateful Dead poster, remembering that he owned that record. He pondered whether Blake's murder had any connection with the recent murder attempt against Adrian Veidt. When he finally picked up the phone, it was an anonymous call (presumably from Adrian Veidt) telling them where to find Rorschach, Fine at first hears it as "Raw Shark," (which is a parallel with the Black Freighter comic "Marooned.") The call allows a police force to capture Rorschach.[2]
He figured out that Dan Dreiberg is Nite Owl, having seen him in picture from Blake's funeral and his familiarity to Adrian Veidt and Dr. Manhattan. After the reports that a flying ship rescued people from the tenement fire, he pays him a visit, while not on duty. He pretends to ask about Blake, having seen him in the funeral, and makes several remarks, noticing the owl on his wall calendar, the Sweet Chariot sugar cubes (found in Rorschach's pockets[3]) and a "ball pipe" that belongs to Laurie Juspeczyk. It was a warning to prevent him from engaging in further activity. Some days later, after the reports that a pair of masked heroes rescued Rorscach from Sing Sing, he and Bourquin lead a police force at Dreiberg's house. However they fail to stop them from leaving on Archie, and as Bourquin remarks, the Police Captain won't be happy.[4]
Fine was subsequently suspended. He attempts to interfere with the fight between Joey and Aline on Fortieth and Seventh over Joe's objections, and he is killed along with everyone else around by the alien monster.[5]
He was lying dead in the street while Laurie Juspeczyk took his gun. With it she attempted to shoot Adrian Veidt later.[6]
Character
While Joe Bourquin seems to be more like the leader or boss between them both, Steve adopts the posture of the "cool" cop: the one who doesn't care much about the rules, joking when he gets the chance and not letting the cases affect him too much.
He smokes hand-rolled cigarettes, unlike most other characters who smoke round pipes.
Movie
In the the film Fine and Bourquin have no important role, appearing in two scenes: at the beginning investigating Blake's death and then in Rorschach's capture.
Fine is played by actor Jay Brazeau.