Episode 1, originally transmitted on ITV, 13 January 1981

Winston Churchill Wolcott, a black police constable, witnesses an off-licence being robbed by two men. Without waiting for backup, he knocks out the driver and throws the other man through the shop window. Wolcott is awarded a citation for his arrests. His mother and his girlfriend Cynthia are impressed, but his old friend Dennis is openly critical of his being a policeman.

Teenager Melville acts as a lookout for Cecil. When he sees the elderly Mrs Rose returning home, he rides past her on his fancy bicycle and signals Cecil. When Mrs Rose refuses to give up her purse, Cecil stabs her with a chisel. Cecil's boss Reuben is angry that he killed Mrs Rose as he doesn't want to draw attention to a big job he is planning in a few days time.

Wolcott is promoted to the CID. He receives a cool reception from most of his new colleagues, but finds an ally in Detective Inspector Gilligan. Melinda, a journalist, tries to interview Wolcott but he snubs her. Reuben hijacks a whisky consignment belonging to Rowe, a rival gangster. Reuben is friends with Dennis, who runs a youth club. When Dennis finds a boy taking heroin in the men's toilet, he kicks him out and flushes the drugs away. Rowe goes to a club to collect his protection money, but finds that Reuben has taken over.

Wolcott and Gilligan go to a local market to track down Melville after a witness recognises his bike. With Reuben's help, Wolcott breaks up a scuffle between a speaker from the Socialist Worker and a heckler from the National Front. Melinda accosts Wolcott and gets him to agree to an interview. Together, they finally track down Melville in a playground. Melville's drunken stepfather attacks Wolcott to stop him taking the boy into custody. Wolcott easily avoids his blows and tells him to send the boy's mother to the police station. Wolcott interviews Melville at length and is starting to get some answers when he is told that Dennis has made a complaint. He leaves Melville with PC Fell, who racially abuses the boy as soon as Wolcott leaves the room. Dennis is angry that the under-age boy is being interviewed without a parent or guardian present. Wolcott assures him that no underhand tactics are being used. He is interrupted by the sounds of a scuffle between Melville and PC Fell.