Sgt. T.J. Hooker is a veteran policeman with a strong hatred of the criminal element. He has declined numerous promotions because of a strong need to be out on the "streets" battling crime, and not wasting his skills and passion pushing pencils behind a desk. He cruises the city in a squad car with his headstrong rookie partner Vince Romano, and when not cruising his beat, can be found teaching new recruits at the police academy. Sexy Stacy Sheridan is another rookie cop and the daughter of Hooker's commanding officer. Jim Corrigan is another veteran officer and Stacy's partner.

Bob Grogan, one of the detectives who worked on the Hillside Strangler case in Los Angeles, was hired as a technical advisor for the show, but was fired when he criticized rewrites of his ideas.

Crew or equipment visible: Launching devices used to flip the cars over during the show's famous car chases are always visible when the car turns over.