In the wake of tragedy, LBPD training officer Traci Harmon takes on new trainee, Alex Diaz, who on day one is already learning the job is harder than he imagined. A chaotic street takeover finds our officers grossly outnumbered, revealing philosophical rifts inside West Division.
Executive producer Dick Wolf moves to the half-hour format. The final product is no less dramatic than the majority of his creative output over the decades. He is no stranger to depicting the lives of police officers. This project intends to handle things differently. The season opens with Delgado's murder. She pulls a vehicle over. Instead of the passengers complying with her orders, she is shot and killed. West Division is alerted to the creation of a multi-agency task force to handle the growing gang influence in Long Beach as well as hunting down Delgado's killer. However, the job of the on-the-ground patrol officers is exactly the same. They still have basic functions of the department that must be met. This is the job they each signed up for. They are grieving the loss of one of their own. However, they have to keep their emotions in check in order to continue serving the community. Each officer has a unique perspective on the best way to produce results. It's the first shift for Diaz. Harmon is his new training officer. She fulfilled the same role for Delgado. She takes risks in the hopes of someone providing a clue to finding her killer. That's not what her job entails though. Instead, she has to guide the new rookie through the actual demands of the job.
The narrative makes extensive use of dash and body cameras to provide the perspective of these characters. It's a way to get the viewer into their shoes and infer things from their vantage point. It highlights the danger as well as the split second decisions that must be made. Delgado sensed danger. That didn't prevent disaster from occurring. Moreover, the videos are meant to keep the officers accountable for their actions. Harmon wants Diaz to report her for threatening an arrestee. She doesn't want him to suffer any blowback for supporting her unconditionally. She demands effort from her partner. That's how her respect can be earned. It's not dependent on favors and becoming beholden to her demands. Elements within West Division have opinions of her. The job still matters to her. She knows she is being targeted. She doesn't want that to ruin someone else's career. She also needs Diaz to obey orders. When she goes rogue, it's a calculated risk based on her experience. She has patrolled these neighborhoods. She knows what to expect. Diaz is new. He doesn't have the luxury of making mistakes right now. He claims he won't make any more. Harmon doesn't believe him. She has trained many officers. They have all needed to cash in their get out of jail free card. Diaz remains optimistic about the good he can do. That hasn't been beaten out of him yet. The expectations are that they might after awhile given the severity and seriousness of the storytelling.
Diaz can't hide anything from Harmon. She is his training officer. It's important for her to trust him in the field. She also needs to know what motivates him in every action he takes. She knows his mother is distrustful of police. She also ran a background check and figured out his brother is in prison for armed robbery. Diaz believes his family was railroaded by the system. Nevertheless, he joined the force. He is fueled by a pursuit for justice. He finds himself in a precinct divided by ideological and generational beliefs. Sergeant Lasman believes fighting back is the only way to make a point and secure order. He doesn't want the police to be pushed around by people. Their job is to enforce law and order. That means punishing those who cross them. When Diaz is punched, it's his responsibility to punch back and make an arrest. He needs to chase down the suspect no matter how long it takes. Harmon recognizes the importance of picking one's battles. She knows how the system operates. The paperwork about the incident would take longer than the imprisonment imposed. Moreover, the officers can't be driven by pride. That's selfish. They would be doing things for the wrong reasons. Harmon believes she has conducted herself honorably on the job. She hasn't discharged her weapon in the twelve years she has been on the beat. She takes pride in that. She knows how to deescalate dangerous situations. She takes things personally when they go awry. She mourns Delgado. She also doesn't quite know what to make of Diaz yet.
A battle is brewing over which forces can influence Diaz. He came onto the job with certain expectations. And now, those divides are becoming more pronounced. Harmon aims to be the right influence. However, Lasman is just as certain in his beliefs. They present as opposing figures who impose themselves on Diaz. It's their job to train the rookies appropriately. They have to adapt to changing circumstances too. Harmon is eager to join the task force searching for Delgado's killer. She knows the neighborhood better than anyone else. She's not shaken by anything she experiences on the job. She's grateful for the sacrifice Delgado made. She shouldn't have had to do so either. This is thankless work. Yet the police still respond to calls of distress. They can't make the situation worse. That's their responsibility. The world remains chaotic. People distrust the police. Lasman's tactics represent the mentality of previous generations. He has authority within the precinct. Diaz can earn some good will by reporting Harmon's threat. Lasman has seen the footage. He just needs Diaz to confirm it's exactly what it appears to be. Diaz is nothing but a pawn within these political machinations. He just wants to get a solid footing on the job himself. But now, he's forced to make a choice of who to trust. He spends the entire shift with Harmon. But Lasman holds power over her as well. Composure is respected in certain circumstances. Not everyone within the department views the actions similarly. It all must be handled delicately. Diaz is learning that quickly firsthand. He can't avoid making these decisions either.
