A police series set in the 15th precinct in New York City. Focuses on the the cops' struggles to sustain a sense of humanity in the face of the chaos of their jobs and the fragility of their private lives. In the fifth season Detective Sipowicz continues his struggle to maintain a balance between his devotion to work and family, but ultimately must choose one or the other. Detective Simone manages to extricate himself from internal dealings only to be caught up in further professional and personal entaglements which include his secret engagement to Detective Diane Russell. Meanwhile Lieutenant Arthur Fancy and Detective James Martinez both try to cope with the demands of their respective offices.