To Sledge, with Love - Recap

A visitor is smoking in the station and refuses to put it out. Hammer puts it out in his own unique manner. Trunk calls Doreau and Hammer in because the school board wants their help to deal with gangs and have asked for Hammer. Hammer and Doreau arrive there and find a group of kids taking the principal's parking spot and then talking to a man in a limo. Doreau takes the license plates and the two detectives go in. They find brawls everywhere and the hall monitor tied up to a pillar. They visit the classroom of Mr. Meeks, who is being forced to write on the board. Hammer draws his gun but Doreau manages to restrain him. He tells them to take their seats and shows him their gun, but they're unimpressed. The ringleader, Turk, hits on Doreau and Hammer sends him to his seat. The students are unimpressed by Hammer and walk off, and Hammer can't employ his usual tactics because they're underage.



Back at the office, Hammer files for a thousand dollars in "teaching aides," while Doreau traces the license plate to racketeer Ralph Roscoe. Meanwhile, Turk and his gang are cleaning Roscoe's car when he arrives to pick it up. They tell him about Hammer but Roscoe congratulates them on blowing off them inspector and points out Whitey, a former gang member who's now Roscoe's driver. The next day, Turk's gang arrives at the principal's parking spot only to find Hammer waiting for them. They try to back up to run him over, but he warns them not to. They discover Hamme put down some reverse spikes, blowing out their tires. Turk and the others go to class but Hammer searches them for weapons first. Turk warns that he can't lay a finger on them without cause and they go in to find the inspector has set up a metal detector. The gang are forced to disarm and Hammer introduces himself as their substitute teacher. He starts to get the advantage on Turk who dares him to a fight. Hammer can't touch him but manages to stay out of his way then disarm him with a globe. Turk vows revenge.



Doreau continues her investigation into Roscoe while Hammer checks in and reveals someone stole his car. Doreau suggests he gives up on the kids but Hammer insists on giving them a chance. He explains that he knew another school bully once: himself. When they prove skeptical, he insists on going it alone... once he remembers he needs a ride. Back at the school, Turk and his gang boast about stealing his car. He takes them down to the precinct house and introduces themselves to some real criminal. Trunk tells them to get out and Hammer explains that they can put their violent tendencies to good use... as cops. They're not impressed and tells them he knows about Roscoe and how he's cheating them. Doreau reveals that Roscoe is taking their cars and selling them for ten times the price he's paying them.



The gang get away and call Roscoe and tell him that they're out. However, when they get back to the auto shop and strip down Hammer's car, Roscoe and his men come in and lock the doors. He informs them that no one cuts him out of the action. He refuses to give them another chance and notes he can always find another bunch of dumb punks. They prepare to open fire but Hammer arrives. The gangsters open fire only to discover Hammer has set up a mirror. He takes out Roscoe's two gunmen and Roscoe opens fire. Hammer throws a mallet and bounces it off several walls to disarm Roscoe. The racketeer makes a run for it in his car and tries to run Hammer over. Hammer leaps through the open windshield and Roscoe slams into the garage door and comes to a halt. The crooks are hauled away and Turk admits that he was scared and Hammer was right all along. Later, he announces he's going to enroll in the police and the gang return Hammer's car back to him... with a decent paint job and no holes. Hammer decides to put some new holes in it and even Doreau helps out by kicking in a dent.



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