Sgt. Penny is asked by a landlord to talk to a lady on the top floor who is keeping cats. He is shot through the door after finding out his radio doesn't work. When Penny doesn't respond to radio calls, the station is worried about him and organises a search party. The landlord turns up at the station and talks to D.I. Galloway who doesn't make the connection. Insp. Kite nicks four people for breach of peace that he caused. A suspected poisoning of chocolate bars is traced to a supermarket.

Meadows and Conway are both up for promotion against each other, and with an impending inspection from Area, both are out to impress. However, there are some comic and some life-threatening repercussions for them both. Firstly, Quinnan and Garfield deliberately ruin the late turn parade leading Skase into hot water, and he and Quinnan nearly coming to blows in front of Brownlow. Meanwhile, Sgt. Lamont is dealing with a troublesome prisoner in custody, who keeps flooding the toilets. Conway tries to lend a hand, but this only leads to further disasters. A young boy is then held hostage by an escaped prisoner who is armed, and Conway, against instruction, goes it alone to try and secure the boy's safety.