A man takes his runaway granddaughter's fifth grade class hostage. Meanwhile, the fear that Rico and Barnes have about snakes is compounded when they have to capture a 20-foot python in an apartment hallway, and Layne learns a touching but sad fact about Jablonski's recent past
With his evaluation date looming, Barnes and Briggs warn Rico that he needs to stop letting emotion rule his work. Meanwhile, Rico's squad car is stolen.
As Rico just gets used to being tourmented by Barnes; Barnes suffers from a dizzy spell, he is put on desk duty. Amonte gets a new temporary Training Officer, a tough, brassy senior deputy Ryan Layne - a twelve-year veteran.
The booking of a drunk clown and a mishap involving airplane lavatory ""residue"" pale in comparison to what becomes the day's priority for the sheriffs—finding a ruthless murderer. Barnes hopes an ex-con now in the business of gang intervention can lead them to the killer, and, during a frightening confrontation, Rico's respect for his training officer increases.