The police must investigate a series of robberies along the old 51 bus route in the area of the city known as Wilson Heights. The mayor (Kenneth Mars) assigns Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) and Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey) to the case. While on stakeout the Wilson-Heights gang, composed of Ace (Gerrit Graham), Flash (Brian Seeman), and Ox (Darwyn Swalve), manages to elude capture. When the squad arrives and points out the fur store that was robbed, Proctor reveals he tried to tell Harris about it, but the latter would not listen. In his office, the mayor is furious with the latest crime spree and reprimands Harris for his precinct's slow response and Hurst for not being strict with the former. Despite arguing their case, he points out that because of their slow response, everyone thinks he is incompetent to do his job and are leaving town. Under threat by the governor with revocation of his job, the mayor orders Harris, Hurst and Proctor to work with Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) to apprehend the gang. Lassard assembles a seven-man team consisting of Hightower (Bubba Smith), Tackleberry (David Graf), Jones (Michael Winslow), Hooks (Marion Ramsey), Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook), Fackler (Bruce Mahler), and Lassard's nephew, Nick (Matt McCoy).