Carey Mahoney and his friends Larvell Jones, Eugene Tackleberry, Moses Hightower, Laverne Hooks, and Douglas Fackler have now graduated from the police academy, and are ready to start going after real criminals. Their assigned precinct, which has the city’s highest crime rate, is under the command of Captain Pete Lassard, the younger brother of academy commandant Eric Lassard. Chief Henry Hurst has told Pete that if the precinct’s crime rate is not lowered, then Pete will no longer be captain. A big step toward lowering the crime rate would be to stop a local gang of toughs and their leader, Zed. The assignment goes to Mahoney and his fellow graduates. Mauser, a lieutenant at the precinct, doesn’t want to see them succeed, because Mauser wants to replace Pete as captain. That’s why Mauser begins to roadblock any efforts against Zed. Not to be outmaneuvered, Mahoney and his friends plot an appropriate revenge on Mauser while they go after Zed.