
The series focuses on life in Greenwich Village's 12th Precinct station house. Initially, it looks at Capt. Barney Miller and his work and home life, but it gradually becomes about the officers of the precinct, including always-on-the-verge-of-retirement Detective Fish.

Convinced he's the victim of a government conspiracy, an unemployed spy holds the detectives at gunpoint.

Barney's graceful transition to middle age suffers as his squad expresses concern for his stamina and mental state.

A bureaucrat is arrested for drunkenness; a 12-year-old who robs Chano's apartment; Wojo forces the precinct's favorite deli closed for minor health code infractions.

Barney creates a problem when he assigns a robbery case to Fish and Yemana and turns the typing over to newly assigned Detective Janice Wentworth.