This police drama follows the activities in and around Sun Hill, a police station located in the fictional East London borough of Canley. The focus is not just the gritty reality of police work, however; the lives and loves of the officers who staff the precinct get equal play.
As Taviner and Hollis skip work to spend the day at the seaside, trouble brews back at Sun Hill when Knowles tries to chat up a woman who has jumped a red light.
Tension mounts at Knowles' funeral with Taviner and Gilmore at each other's throats, while back at the station a manhunt is launched to catch the killer.
Taviner, Klein and Hollis do a spot of clandestine detection work in a bid to catch Knowles' killer, convinced Derek Smith knows more than he is letting on.
New. A girl with Down's syndrome is reported missing by her worried mother and sister, giving Quinnan and Page cause for concern as they scour the Sun Hill area to find her.
New. New PC Cathy Bradford gets on the wrong side of Quinnan after making accusations about a suspected grave robber whose trust he has been trying to win.
New. Carver and Bradford investigate steroid dealing, and a lorry containing a newspaper from Iraq leads Boyden to conclude it was carrying illegal immigrants.
New. The team goes undercover in a hotel to expose the illegal immigrants ring, but the operation is hampered when Berisha takes a dislike to one of the kitchen staff.
New. uinnan and Page succumb to temptation as their old passion revives - unaware their every move is being caught on camera.
New. Quinnan waits for Page's answer to his marriage proposal. Meanwhile, Page is taken hostage when her cover is blown.
New. Long-running drama with the bobbies and detectives at London's Sun Hill police station.
New. Long-running drama with the bobbies and detectives at London's Sun Hill police station.
New. PC Bradford goes undercover at a lap-dancing club to investigate claims that it is operating as a brothel.
CID find two guns under the seat of a stolen car registered to a recently released armed robber, who is later spotted receiving ready cash from a supergrass's wife.
Carver looks into a series of burglaries carried out while the victims were on holiday, and Singh is assigned to investigate an attack for which he was responsible.
Singh does his best to convince Glaze that he wasn't responsible for the increase in race riots on the streets of Sun Hill, but later receives a threatening parcel.
Racial tension mounts at Sun Hill and Chandler's decision to spend the afternoon with Kate Spears rather than attend a community meeting has tragic results.
As the officers mourn the loss of Chief Inspector Conway, Webb grills the prime suspect and tempers flare when Worrell and Bradford try to put Ahmed behind bars.
Chandler has cause to regret allowing a march through Sun Hill as racial violence erupts in the area, and Conway's mother mistakes Ackland and Carver for a couple.
The occupants of Sun Hill feel increasingly under siege as a race demonstration spirals out of control and an officer's selfish mission results in catastrophe.
The surviving members of the Sun Hill squad struggle to come to terms with the tragedy, while Lennox and Glaze interrogate their prime suspect.
Safecracker Peter Grace discovers the evidence proving his guilt has perished in the fire and Taviner is horrified to learn there is a good chance Harker will survive.
Taviner worries as the Murder Investigation Team arrive at Sun Hill to question the surviving officers, while Ackland and Carver struggle to keep their relationship a secret.
The memorial service proves a sombre occasion as Taviner struggles to maintain his composure as he carries the flag in honour of his dead colleagues.
Taviner struggles to understand why Fullerton has confessed to petrol-bombing the station, and Carver is disappointed to learn where Ackland's priorities lie.
Sharpe investigates a case involving stolen benefit cheques, and PC Rickman takes an Ecstasy tablet while out clubbing - only to be called up on duty in an emergency.
Glaze vows to track down the real arsonist, while Rickman and Klein learn a harsh lesson after their drug habit causes them to jeopardise an investigation into an assault.
Lennox puts his marital woes aside to help Glaze and Taviner nail petrol-bombing prime suspect Simpson, while Ackland accuses a woman of making up stories.
A pair of armed robbers bungle a bank job, but the officers have a hard time proving they committed the crime, while Taviner gets incriminating evidence on Simpson.
Meadows smells a rat when a big-time crook walks into the station to hand over his delinquent son.
Chandler warns Meadows not to rake up his past if he knows what is good for him and Gilmore is taunted by a homophobic colleague.
Stamp takes new recruit Gary Best under his wing, and Ackland advises Gilmore to fight fire with fire when dealing with the irrational Boyden.
Two new recruits make their presence felt at Sun Hill, while Klein and Rickman find a group of children playing in contaminated waste.
Ashton clashes with Gilmore on his first day back at Sun Hill and the new Community Safety Unit opens under the control of Ackland.
Gilmore invites Ashton to help him investigate a homophobic assault to see if he has what it takes to handle such a sensitive case.
Chandler invites a local journalist to visit the new Community Safety Unit, and McAllister drops a bombshell upon her return to Sun Hill.
Klein gets a surprise when one of his conquests turns up for work at Sun Hill the next morning. McAllister contemplates what to do about her unplanned pregnancy.
Taviner's anonymous blackmailer makes fresh demands and PC Kerry Young warns Klein to keep quiet about their one-night stand.
A big win on the lottery puts the relief in high spirits, but Stamp's fortunes soon take a nosedive after he finds himself on the receiving end of a shocking allegation.
A teenage girl goes missing and Stamp finds even his colleagues doubt him when he is accused of sexually abusing a youngster.
A traumatised Stamp struggles to put the false paedophile accusations behind him and rebuild his life, but finds it impossible to forgive and forget Jim Carver's betrayal.
New arrival DS Phil Hunter raises eyebrows at Sun Hill by flirting with suspects' wives.
Chandler pressures McAllister to get rid of her child, tearaway Lee Dwyer lands in hot water again and Meadows faces a dilemma involving two conflicting tip-offs.
PC Young acts as bait to catch a flasher terrorising Sun Hill, while DS McAllister returns to work sporting a black eye - much to the dismay of Chandler.
A new front-desk officer takes up her post, causing the Sun Hill bobbies to wonder why she looks so strangely familiar, and trouble brews between Meadows and Gina Gold.
Chandler makes a confession to old friend DI Alex Cullen and the irate owner of a medical research establishment complains he isn't receiving enough protection.
Taviner and Hollis are called to a warehouse in the dead of night, where events rapidly take a sinister turn.
Taviner continues making covert inquiries in a desperate bid to trace Reg Hollis before the day of Simpson's trial.
As Hollis tries to establish a rapport with his kidnappers, Taviner takes the stand at Simpson's trial. Gilmore is dismayed to learn about Ashton's date with PC Kerry Young.
New DS Samantha Nixon makes her presence felt at Sun Hill, while Danny Glaze casts a shadow over old hand Des Taviner's future.
Ashton responds to Young's romantic overtures and Hunter sets up an undercover operation at a drugs baron's nightclub.
Klein faces a dilemma when he's offered some cocaine while working undercover at Mortimer's club.
Hunter obtains incriminating video footage of Nick Klein, while Meadows and Webb talk to Anne Merrick about Tom Chandler's past.
The undercover operation spirals out of control as Klein lets secrets slip while under the influence of cocaine, and McAllister tries to keep her pregnancy under wraps.
Kerry Young is taken hostage, Nick Klein tells Phil Hunter he may have jeopardised the drugs operation, and Mickey Webb stirs up a hornets' nest.
Klein learns the Sun Hill serial killer has struck again, and Chandler puts himself in danger by visiting Anne Merrick to prove his innocence.
Merrick's revelation that Chandler raped her prompts a full-scale investigation. PC Stamp resolves to find out who has been spreading malicious rumours about him.
Chandler faces interrogation over the rape of Anne Merrick and seeks an alibi to rescue his career. Ackland and Carver panic about Stamp discovering their secret affair.
Chandler is interrogated after the shock discovery of Anne Merrick's body at a multi-storey car park. Lennox returns to Sun Hill to investigate the murders of three women.
Stamp and Best set out to trace the wife of a man found dead in his flat and Bradford finds herself in trouble for passing on information that led to Samina's abduction.
Lennox and Nixon rush to investigate when a grumpy member of the public provides a possible lead in the hunt for the Sun Hill serial killer.
Best discovers physical abuse is going on in his own family, Drummond and Sharpe team up to solve a violent robbery case and Chandler goes to Anne Merrick's funeral.
Solicitor Martin Porter finds himself a suspect in the serial killer investigation.
Chandler tries to maintain an outward veneer of respectability by marrying Debbie McAllister, while profiler David Chiu arrives at Sun Hill to help with the investigation.
Chandler rapes McAllister on their wedding night, then acquires a firearm under false pretences and absconds with his pregnant wife.
Chandler finally runs out of options and as a gunshot echoes around Sun Hill station, Debbie is rushed into hospital in a desperate bid to save her unborn child.
McAllister makes it clear she blames Meadows for Chandler's death and Nixon takes a big risk to prove Baxter is the serial killer.
Sun Hill celebrates as the serial killer is finally put behind bars, but Nixon has doubts about Baxter's guilt, while Taviner reaches the end of his tether.
New. It appears the serial killer has been caught, but Nixon begins to doubt Baxter's guilt.
Ashton and Young's engagement party proves eventful as Stamp tries to muscle in on Ackland and Carver's secret relationship.
Rival drug dealers look set to wage a full-scale gang war on the Bronte Estate.
Meadows is paralysed by indecision as gang warfare threatens to engulf the Bronte estate, while Hunter seems to be pursuing his own agenda.
New Superintendent Adam Okaro clearly knows what Hunter has been up to on the Bronte Estate and shocks the community by declaring it a no-go area for his officers.
New. New recruit Ruby Buxton shows Stamp that growing up on the Bronte estate has its advantages, but Hunter wishes he'd never got involved with Linda Magorian.
Back at the station, acting DI Nixon is on a mission to find the Sun Hill serial killer. Kerry Young wants an answer from her fiance about his real feelings.
When police stumble across a sordid sex dungeon, local funeral director Shane Pellow becomes a murder suspect.
Nixon fears her runaway daughter may fall victim to the serial killer, while Osbourne and Taviner head straight for danger.
Okaro bides his time as Osbourne and Taviner's rivalry leads to major trouble in the uniform branch, while Bradford looks forward to working with Kane.
A teacher gives Osbourne a pornographic home movie which may provide a new link in the serial killer investigation.
Hollis and Taviner have a run-in with a troubled youngster and it is D-Day for McAllister as she prepares to give up her baby for adoption.
The hunt for the serial killer takes a dramatic turn as Rickman visits Shane Pellow's house, while Young gets a nasty surprise.
As Klein sorts out his feelings toward Cass Rickman and plans to declare his love, she begins a terrifying ordeal at the hands of the Sun Hill serial killer.
The euphoria of Cop Idol night soon fades as Rickman's whereabouts remain a mystery, and the discovery of her handbag in the street prompts a full-scale search.
Forensics raise hopes that the Sun Hill team really have got the serial killer this time - can the lab staff prove the suspect in their cells is Cass's murderer?
Rickman's funeral proves more harrowing than expected when Klein loses control in the church.
The truth comes out about why Inspector Gold and Superintendent Okaro split up years ago.
Acting DI Samantha Nixon helps Lennox with the serial killer case. It's not long before she thinks she knows exactly who the culprit is.