洛杉矶警察局抢劫杀人组一项看似例行公事的谋杀案调查，却因副局长布伦达·约翰逊的到来而中断。布伦达是来自亚特兰大的外来者，入职仅一周，她就已经开始面临资深高级警官的抵制，尤其是抢劫杀人组的泰勒警长，而她所在小组的信任度也令人质疑，因为他们已经决定集体申请调动。只有她的助手加布里埃尔警长似乎愿意尝试与她合作。

布伦达和团队必须调查备受瞩目的模特希瑟·金斯利的谋杀案。她死于尼古丁中毒，尼古丁是通过护发素涂抹到头皮上的。嫌疑很快落在了她的影星丈夫迪恩身上，他风流倜傥的作风以及虚假的婚前协议，使他成为可能的凶手。随着布伦达的调查，她被卷入了明星美容的世界，在那里，假象就是一切，标准也越来越高。当她化了妆，逐一会见迪恩抛弃的情人时，他们似乎都有谋杀动机，布伦达意识到，这起案件可能不仅仅是一个男人试图摆脱婚姻那么简单。与此同时，她逐渐被表面的魅力所吸引，这似乎让她的同事和弗里茨都对他刮目相看。随着真凶的出现，布伦达意识到，她只能做自己，其余的都只是幻象。

布伦达和优先凶杀组正在调查一名在麦克阿瑟公园及其周边地区杀害帮派成员的狙击手。一位前陆军上校主动伸出援手，他相信狙击手是他的儿子。随着帮派战争的全面爆发，布伦达犹豫地接受了他的帮助，但随着调查的深入，她对上校动机的怀疑与日俱增。在弗里茨的帮助下，她意识到上校并非来帮忙，而是来帮助他的儿子逃跑。两人在洛杉矶一处屋顶的黑暗中对峙，却导致了意想不到的结局。在故事的其他部分，桑切斯曾在Rampart Division CRASH帮派小组服役，这使他在调查中发挥了关键作用，他向小组汇报了该地区的帮派活动，并以帮派成员的身份卧底并协助审讯。布伦达与泰勒之间紧张的关系似乎有所缓和，但一次监视行动出了差错，两人的关系却突然变得更加紧张。加布里埃尔对她越来越忠诚，但弗林和普罗文扎继续抵制她的方法，称她为“斯嘉丽小姐”。

The murder of an adolescent girl from Mexico, found dead in the Los Angeles River, proves difficult and painful for Brenda and her team. At first, a known sex-offender seems the likely candidate, but questions arise about why the girl and her mother were brought to the US, leading the investigation in another direction.

An unnamed source files a grievance against Brenda in the midst of a high-profile investigation of a murdered L.A. filmmaker. With her career on the line, Brenda is skeptical of Chief Pope's intentions when he volunteers to help. In classic Brenda style, she spurns the accusation and the PHD team comes together to act in unison, sending shock waves through the entire department.

Brenda and her team race against the clock to get to the truth, as things don't add up when an LA cop turns up dead. Meanwhile tension increases between the Priority Homicide Division and the Robbery-Homicide Division.

Brenda and the team find themselves wading through a long list of suspects when a celebrity photographer takes a fatal fall from his hotel room balcony. In the meantime, Brenda starts to feel like Fritz is behaving strangely, making her realize that superstars may not be the only ones who have secrets to keep.

Brenda and Fritz have a hard time agreeing who is in charge when an informant's wife and and FBI agent are both murdered. When the killer's identity is uncovered, the PHD finds themselves under attack.

Brenda and the team investigate the grisly slaying of a family, and the only survivor is the drug-addled teen son. Meanwhile, a financial crisis rocks the LAPD, bringing about budget cuts and possibly Provenza’s early retirement. Meanwhile, Fritz hopes to move into a new house with Brenda.

A recently released sex offender is accused of kidnapping a child, and with time running out, Det. Gabriel makes a startling choice.

Still experiencing the strain of her case, Brenda finds herself under another time crunch when she must disprove a questionable alibi within 48 hours to prevent the investigation from falling flat. As Brenda searches for the truth in her case, she discovers some inside information that may have an unfortunate effect on her relationship with Fritz.

When a massive fire breaks out in Griffith Park, Priority Homicide is on hand to help. Meanwhile, Brenda and Fritz are living in a small apartment and getting on each other's nerves.

The newly renamed Major Crimes Division investigates the death of a teenager that may be related to a planned massacre.

While investigating the homicide of an entire family, the team once again finds themselves entangled in an FBI case. They also find themselves distracted by an unusually surly Provenza.

The team digs through several suspects that surface after a man's body is found inside an oversized box. Brenda finds the case the perfect platform to play the role of teacher to Gabriel as he prepares for his detective exam. When Brenda's niece, Charlie, gets out of hand, she and Fritz must consider ending her summer vacation with them.

While investigating a suspicious suicide, the squad wades into a nasty child-custody dispute between a dying man and his meth-addicted ex-wife. Meanwhile, Pope applies for the police chief job, but Brenda might have something to say about whether or not he gets it.

After a parole board member is viciously murdered during a panicked phone call with Sgt. Gabriel, Pope announces an overreaching plan to boost the police department’s image. His plan, however, hinges on Brenda first being able to solve the crime.

The murder of two paramedics leads the LAPD and the FBI on separate investigations on a case that could be the precursor to a major terrorist attack. But Brenda fights to remain a step ahead, even though she's forced to work with the counter-terrorism unit's Chief Tommy Delk, who happens to be one of Brenda's fellow finalists for the job of Chief of Police.

The squad investigates the death of a deputy sheriff; the judge considers dropping the charges against Brenda.

Brenda finds a young couple involved to in the investigation by accident after finding two people dead outside in the street Brenda has no idea that the DA is watching her every move Capitan Raydor and Chief Pope find out who the leak is.

In the series finale, we bid a final farewell to Brenda Leigh Johnson. When a young man calls 911 to report seeing someone being buried in Griffith Park, police find not only her remains, but those of several other women who were kills as far back as two years ago. Brenda immediately suspects Philip Stroh and, despite departmental restrictions, sets out to finally tie him to the murders. Meanwhile, the witness who called 911 makes Brenda look at her life and future.

Stay tuned to the next show, Major Crimes, which will pick up from the moment The Closer ends. A large portion of the characters are moving to the new show. to work under the new supervisor of Major Crimes, Captain Sharon Raydor.