With a crime-wave sweeping the city, a new Police programme has been formed to fast-track recruits to get them patrolling on the streets, and it's up to tough veteran cop Sergeant T.J. Hooker to bring them up to scratch. Trying to cope with his recent divorce and money problems, Hooker struggles with a job that he can't get away from. Meanwhile, the spate of crimes, including robbery, murder and a sniper is quickly getting out of hand. Only Hooker can train the eager but inexperienced young recruits as he leads them in bringing peace back to the streets, but the pursuit of the two murderous armed robbers at the head of the crime-wave inevitably leads to an explosive confrontation...

A worker from the Police precinct is attacked and raped, the latest in a series of rapes and robberies where none of the victims are able to identify their attacker. Investigating, Hooker and co. find that all the victims had prior been visited by a telephone repair man, information which enables them to track down the prime suspect, who ends up being killed as the result of pursuit. But Hooker fears that the dead man was actually the attacker's apprentice and not the actual attacker – a fear that is proven when the attacks continue...

Hooker goes to Chicago on a supposedly simple three hour extradition trip, to bring back a felon wanted for fencing stolen items, but ends up being paired with fast-talking, wise-cracking Detective Sidney P. Stover, who is planning to use the fencer Hooker is due to take back to arrange a bust on a dangerous drug supplier's operation...