The Thin Blue Line

Fowler plans a camping trip for some young offenders, whereas Grim is keener for them to have a short sharp shock. Patricia has to take care of an abandoned infant and becomes broody. Habib is harrassed by some fascists and unfortunately Goody steps in to help her...

Fowler informs his officers that Gasforth has been chosen to host the Sub-District Regional Police Conference and the subject is "juvenile crime". Habib suggests that they try to encourage youngsters to get involved in things to occupy themselves that aren't illegal, so Fowler devises a camping trip. Grim is not at all happy about this and insists that he and CID will show the conference the right way to deal with juveniles: nick 'em, lock 'em up and throw away the key.

His first attempt is to try an undercover operation; he sends Kray and Crockett into a squat to catch people dealing drugs at a rave, however they are instantly identified as police and refused entry. Back at the station the uniformed branch prepare for the camping trip but events are interrupted when Habib finds a baby abandoned outside. Despite her own protestations, Patricia becomes somewhat gooey over the little one and begins dropping hints to Raymond about a family of their own.

More trouble comes in the form of a riot at a fascist meeting, which the police are called in to break up. As a group are escorted to the cells, one hurls racist abuse at Habib and Goody punches him out! Unfortunately for Goody, he is only 15 and the boy's mother resolves to press charges for unprovoked assault.

With Goody under investigation, he, Fowler, Habib and Gladstone head off on the camping trip, much to Grim's amusement. He informs Raymond that while they're off rewarding young offenders he will be nicking some. Later that day Grim and his team arrive at the squat and begin a raid, only to be informed by a neighbour that they've been taken away already - camping!

Meanwhile, the trip gets off to a pleasingly uneventful, if not slow, start. As the group prepare to head into their tents, Habib raises the alarm that one girl, Natalie, has disappeared. After a search she is found in tears, and reveals that the abandoned baby is hers. As words are exchanged amongst Natalie, boyfriend Baz, Habib and Fowler, Raymond narrowly avoids losing his cool and suggests they all go to sleep and resolve the issue calmly in daylight.

The next morning however, Fowler and his team wake to find the kids and all the tents gone! Arriving back at the station, Raymond is once again faced with a dilemma over Goody's future - but in a meeting with the fascist youth, Geoffrey, and his mother, he sees her beating her son and realises he may yet have an opportunity to settle the situation...