Detective Dooley (James Belushi) is in trouble. He's taking time getting over the death of his wife; he looks like he's been at the pies; and his hound is lying doggo. That doesn't stop him foiling a bank robbery in the first scene of the film, even though the shooter is wearing full body armour and carries a modified M-16 with a massively-enhanced barrel which allows him to blow chunks out of Dooley's newly-renovated Ford Mustang.
With Dooley consistently coming second in the suspect-chasing stakes, his boss Captain Byers (James Handy) threatens him with retirement. But a masked gunman who has left prison to taunt the unfit detective gives Dooley enough problems.
Byers teams him with the new generation of supercop, Sergeant Welles (Christine Tucci - sister of Stanley). The pouting Welles is already familiar with Dooley, after a liaison years ago. Plus, she has the next generation of police dog - a fascist attack doberman called Zeus who answers only guttural mitteleuropean commands. Cue dog gags and comic competition between the two pairings in a warm, winning action comedy.