A drug raid leads to the arrest of Tyrone Weeks and Patricia Spence. Patricia (Patty) has an infant baby girl who is remanded to child welfare. During their preliminary hearing, Tyrone is set free on his own recognizance due to overcrowding of L.A. County's jails. He later kills Officer Gilbert Braden, partner of Officer Frank Rose. Officer Vicki Hill takes pity on Patty Spence and convinces Captain Hollander to pull strings to have her released and to have the baby, Crystal, returned to her. Vicki is also contending with a lovesick partner, Officer Andy Campo, and a jealous husband, forensics expert Ralph Ruskin. Detective Vincent LaRusso forcibly coerces the identity of the man who killed Gilbert Braden from an accomplice while his partner, Detective W. Donnie Potts, looks on. Later, LaRusso fakes an injury to gain juror's sympathy while testifying against a drug dealer. Chief of Police Roger Kendrick blames the mayor and her policies for the death of Gilbert Braden and gives a
The suspicious death of Tyrone Weeks sparks outrage in the black community. Mayor Plank confronts Kendrick about LaRusso's history as a wild card, feuling his hatred of the mayor even further. Hollander questions the officers involved in the Weeks killing. Gaines is truthful about the incident while Donnie lies and Ralph continues to state that the forensic evidence supports LaRusso's story. Hollander turns to Vicki to try and get her to convince Ralph to come clean. Learning that Ralph has lied sparks an argument between him and Vicki. Hollander feels it's time for Frank to get back out on the street and assigns Gaines as Frank's new partner. Gaines cannot stand the rookie, especially since Gaines likes to sing Motown hits in the patrol car. Frank begs for a new partner, but Hollander won't give in. After watching Vincent interrogate a robbery suspect, Donnie tells him that he no longer wants Vincent as a partner. Vincent, sensing that his story isn't going to hold with Holland
Potts, under pressure to come clean, and Larusso are taken off the drug case, so Larusso gets down and dirty, useing his mud wrestling girlfriend to set up a bust.Mayor Plank goes under the surgeon's knife to improve her political profile.
LaRusso is charged with murder; Quinn and Campo pose as a married couple to nab the baby-sellers who bought Patti's daughter; Chief Kendrick takes the Mayor on a dinner date.
Patty Spence is working to get custody of her baby. An Actress is being stalked, and she goes to the police for protection. Larusso continues his affair with his lawyer, but starts to show his possessive side towards her. The Chief of police busts a city councilmen for drug use.
Quinn is in the line of fire, both on and off duty, when a jealous Ruskin takes aim at Quinn and Campo's partnership; Gaines sets his sight on helping a homeless man; Weltz has a shot at making Larusso a bigger hero "than Oliver North"; The mayor and the chief go off together for a romantic weekend.
The green eyed monster grabs Ruskin, who tails Quinn and Campo; Potts receives threats for "betraying" his brothers in blue; Mayor Plank sees red when a journalist threatens to "out" her assistant.
Racism is an issue for Rose who punishes a bigoted detective to follow up on the shooting of a black youth; Potts who is having second thoughts about testifying; and Chief Kendrick who has a few choice slurs for the press.
The Larusso trial gets underway, with a battle royal shaping up between D.A. Phelan and defense attorney Weltz. Quinn and Campo clash with their new partners: Chief Kendrick has a second bout with the press.
Larusso takes the stand as the case goes to the jury; Quinn and Ruskin take a stab at marriage counseling; Campos new partner takes to the streets on hooker detail; Kendrick is accused of being racist.
Larusso returns to the force, Quinn reflects on the end of her marriage,Mayor Plank renews her run for the Senate, and a serial rapist outwits detectives.