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.
The Sun Hill cops party in style on the eve of the wedding, with both the stag and hen parties descending into drunken chaos.
The wedding day dawns, but things start badly when Inspector Gold finds the bridegroom in bed with someone else.
Best takes swift action to protect nephew Ryan from further abuse, and Glaze is reunited with Sister Sarah while trying to ensure a paedophile priest isn't lynched.
Hunter panics when his wife fails to return from her night with Ron Gregory, but Webb captures the couple on camera during an undercover operation.
Okaro institutes a new drugs policy, Hunter is ensnared in Ron Gregory's Machiavellian machinations and Sister Sarah is forced to accept Glaze's help.
Okaro's drugs policy comes under fire from his superiors as a horde of journalists descend on Sun Hill. PC Bradford prepares to receive her HIV test results.
Superintendent Okaro grows frustrated at not being allowed to run Sun Hill his way and decides to resign, while Des Taviner is reprimanded during a routine court case.
June hears wedding bells, and Cathy Bradford's manipulative nature becomes public knowledge around Sun Hill station.
Newlyweds Luke and Kerry return from honeymoon and resume their duties, while Des Taviner is transferred to the Community Safety Unit.
Nick Klein's grief gets the better of him at a memorial service for Simon Kitson, while Luke's soul-searching prompts him to tell Kerry the truth about his sexuality.
Sun Hill throws open its doors to members of the public as raw recruit PC Cameron Tait faces his first day on duty.
The station pulls together as Sun Hill unites in the search for Eva's daughter. Craig tells Kerry the truth about her husband.
Des Taviner makes the mistake of ignoring a tip-off about missing youngster Joanna Sharpe.
New officer Sgt Sheelagh Murphy reports for duty and joins in the search for Eva Sharpe's daughter.
Borough Commander Jane Fitzwilliam exerts pressure on Adam Okaro to force Jack Meadows' resignation, and a harrowing discovery is made.
DC Eva Sharpe learns a child's body has been discovered, while DS Hunter finds his criminal contacts linked with investigations into the paedophile ring.
DC Eva Sharpe's brother-in-law Anthony becomes prime suspect in the disappearance of her daughter Joanna.
PC Cathy Bradford learns that DC Brandon Kane has a date with Dr Sandra Malik and sets about devising a way of keeping him all to herself.
The murdered youngster is identified and her sponsor parents are brought in for questioning.
Sgt Matthew Boyden and PC Cameron Tait investigate a violent incident at a local school.
Sgt Matthew Boyden is given the task of babysitting Acting DI Samantha Nixon's 15-year-old daughter Abi, while PC Kerry Ashton finally realises her husband is gay.
DCs Mickey Webb and Danny Glaze fall out over how to handle the Nathan Morley case, and PC Kerry Ashton decides to keep her baby after all.
Conscience-stricken copper Reg Hollis agonises over whether to tell Acting DI Sam Nixon what he saw her daughter doing.
Acting DI Sam Nixon is furious to learn her 15-year-old daughter Abi doesn't want any charges brought against Sergeant Matt Boyden.
PC Des Taviner gets a new set of wheels. DC Danny Glaze is transferred to the Community Safety Unit, while Sergeant Matt Boyden is forced to confront a gunman.
DC Mickey Webb starts to suspect his own boss, the seemingly squeaky-clean Superintendent Adam Okaro, may actually be a member of the paedophile gang.
DC Mickey Webb and FDO Robbie Cryer break into a house associated with Ron Gregory, where they make a disturbing discovery.
DC Mickey Webb and FDO Robbie Cryer are taken prisoner by Ron Gregory.
DC Brandon Kane's ex-wife Tanya makes the mistake of consulting increasingly barmy PC Cathy Bradford about the possibility of getting back with him.
DC Ken Drummond and DS Debbie McAllister investigate how TDC Brandon Kane's ex-wife Tanya came to grief. Unfortunately, PC Cathy Bradford does all she can to mislead them.
DS Debbie McAllister tries to persuade DI Colvin that TDC Brandon Kane was responsible for the attack on his ex-wife Tanya.
It's a bad day for PC Gemma Osbourne as she defends herself against allegations of assault. PC Nick Klein's drug addiction spirals out of control.
A girl's disappearance prompts the team to call in retired sergeant Bob Cryer, who knows the suspects better than anyone.
Sgt Matt Boyden leads the search to find the mother of five-year-old crack cocaine victim Sophie, having realised the missing woman is his own daughter.
PC Nick Klein goes in search of his next fix of crack cocaine, only to fall into a trap which results in his arrest.
The relief are reluctant to contribute to a collection as the day of Boyden's funeral arrives.
Jim Carver is in a quandary after turning down Marie's proposal, while Danny Glaze finds himself in a terrifying situation.
Gemma Osbourne's loyalties are divided when she and Kerry Young help immigration officials deal with a woman and child facing deportation.
Gemma Osbourne shows everyone her nasty side as she continues her stand against the immigration officials.
June Ackland and Tony Stamp tiptoe around each other following their liaison, while Debbie McAllister investigates an attempted rape by a taxi driver.
Luke Ashton is put out when old enemy Dale Smith returns to Sun Hill and quickly catches Kerry's eye.
Des faces a race against time to rescue Sheelagh, who is trapped in the back of a stolen taxi being driven away at high speed by the rapist.
Marie begins to panic as her wedding draws nearer and Jim is nowhere to be found, unaware he is still trapped in the cellar with June, Polly and Tony.
Debbie McAllister grows jealous of new DC Juliet Becker, who displays brains and beauty in equal measure.
Adam Okaro asks Ken Drummond to continue moonlighting for the private security firm in charge of the Coal Lane Estate.
Luke Ashton finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun as illegal firearms pour into the borough.
Reg Hollis becomes Sun Hill's answer to Keanu Reeves when he finds himself on board a speeding bus hijacked by armed teenagers.
Polly Page is racked with guilt over Owen Preston's suicide, but decides to cover up her involvement.
Samantha Nixon agonises over what to do as journalist Dougie Pritchard seems hell-bent on telling Abi all about her father.
Todd Carty joins the cast as PC Gabriel Kent. Samantha and Abi Nixon struggle to cope with Glen Weston's sudden reappearance.
Ken Drummond goes undercover as a security guard, but it is not long before he lands in serious trouble.
Eyebrows are raised at Sun Hill about Ken Drummond's failure to report in.
In the aftermath of the bungled robbery, Ken is rushed to hospital.
Gary Best tries to stop Ken Drummond from doing anything stupid, but the wounded DC is set on saving Alex from the Fosters.
Dale Smith goes undercover in a high-security prison in an attempt to find out where the stolen sports cars have been hidden.
Gary Best goes undercover to investigate a prostitution racket, only for his colleagues to lose sight of him. Meanwhile, Jim Carver returns from his honeymoon.
June puts her professionalism on the line when she protects a victim from her violent husband.
A new case opens old wounds for Carver and Ackland, while Sheelagh's husband prepares for their anniversary.
Adam is shocked when a colleague confesses to murder. Cameron has concerns over his daughter.
Can Tony and Gary persuade Cameron to give up his daughter?
Polly's horrible cousin Michelle turns up and makes her life a misery.
A distraught Mickey Webb vows to track down the mugger responsible for his mother's death, while Juliet Becker sets out to trap a big-time drug dealer.
Gary Best has no choice but to arrest Gina Gold when a breathalyser test proves positive.
Debbie McAllister comes to the rescue of Juliet Becker, leading to a passionate clinch, and Polly Page's confession leaves Cathy Bradford fuming.
Gabriel Kent bullies Ruby Buxton into lying under oath. Polly Page becomes increasingly nervous as Samantha Nixon takes a closer look at some evidence.
Des Taviner is left fuming after a cheeky joyrider takes off in his patrol car, and faces a race to get the vehicle back before Gina Gold finds out.
A bomb blast in a cinema leaves an officer seriously injured.
Klein returns to work, and helps Best deal with a vandalism case.
Eva Sharpe throws caution to the wind when she is attacked by a stranger. McAllister tries to catch Charles Vanderbilt in the act.
Phil, Nick and Cameron are worried that they will get caught attacking a thug. June learns that a colleague's wife has been raped.
Adam and June collude to let Laura's rape investigation be handled by DC Perkins at Barton Street.
Distraught Cathy Bradford ignores a desperate cry for help from a woman being beaten by her husband, prompting Robbie Cryer to present her with an ultimatum.
As Cathy Bradford recovers from the beating, Robbie Cryer is suspended by Gina Gold and ostracised by her colleagues.
A sword-wielding maniac causes panic on the streets on Sun Hill, but there's a surprise in store for Gary Best as he tries to track down the madman.
Eva Sharpe faces a tough time when a youth falls unconscious during her struggle to arrest him. Gary Best worries he might turn out like his violent father.
Adam Okaro launches an investigation into Eva Sharpe's arrest of Brad Kelso - and with the evidence mounting against her, it does not look too good.
Jim Carver poses as a hitman to gain evidence against Polly Page's cellmate.
Mickey Webb is in denial after his attack and desperate to keep the incident secret - but eventually manages to open up to Jack Meadows.
Jack Meadows' position is threatened when news gets out that his girlfriend Rachel is a prostitute.
Yvonne Hemingway faces a tough first shift, but soon proves her worth. An incident involving the death of a baby has a profound effect on Des Taviner.
Sheelagh Murphy is forced to think about the future of her unborn child. Rob Thatcher and Nick Klein compete to win a date with new front desk officer Marilyn Chambers.
It's the day of the unveiling of the plaque in memory of the firebomb victims, but the event proves too much for guilty Des Taviner.
Des Taviner finally tells Sheelagh Murphy the truth about starting the fire, so she gives him until the end of the day to confess all to his superiors.
Dale Smith pulls Reg Hollis from the burning building. The search is on for Gary Best's dad, but things look bleak when a bloodstained jacket is found.
As Polly takes the stand, the officers are faced with a siege when the gunman who took Gary Best's father holes up in a building, with two hostages.
Death comes to a Sun Hill regular.
Psycho-cop Cathy Bradford has her 15 minutes of fame, appearing on TV with Lorraine Kelly to talk about how she was betrayed by best friend Polly Page.
Racial tensions rise in Sun Hill, and Adam Okaro is under pressure to sort the problem before it escalates.
A new DC arrives to set up a unit designed to manage dangerous offenders in the community, and is immediately on the case involving a known paedophile.
Hospital staff come under suspicion when an elderly patient's house is burgled.
Nick Klein is angry with Phil Hunter for taking the credit on a case solved by Eva Sharpe, so threatens to tell the sergeant's wife Cindy about his secret love child.
Smith finds it hard not to get involved when dealing with a victim of male rape.
June refuses to give into temptation. Ramani discovers her stepdaughter has been raped.
De Costa is unable to stay away from a case in which her stepdaughter is involved.
As Gold finds out the truth about Kent, Ackland is putty in his hands.
Ackland and Kent agree to keep their affair secret. Nixon investigates an assault on a gym receptionist.
Hunter gets one over on Nixon, while Best is worried that Klein is back on drugs again. Kane and Harman's relationship hots up.
Bradford sets fire to Kane's house after finding out about him and Harman. Nixon and De Costa investigate a domestic violence case.
Okaro's desperation to catch the thugs who caused Hemmingway to suffer severe injuries ends up jeopardising his career.
Okaro goes back on the frontline with Stamp, bonding with him in the process.
When her fiance pushes her too far, Bradford resorts to murder. Carver feels isolated upon his return to Sun Hill.
Kane finds CCTV footage that seems to show that Bradford murdered his wife. DI Manson arrives at Sun Hill.
Kane tells the DCI that Bradford is a murderer, while a familiar face is in terrible danger.
Kane is horrified as Bradford, having kidnapped his children, goes on the run.