The Rookies Episode Guide, Season 1 - Pazsaz Entertainment Network

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Tampa: Class Begins
Rookie A.J. Cafaro's only previous law enforcement experience was throwing people out of the bar he used to manage. A.J. goes on his first search warrant assault then witnesses his first dead body, and soon begins to question if maybe throwing drunks out of a bar was not so bad. Former High school English teacher Hugh Herndon decided to trade his chalk and blackboard for a Tampa police badge and a 9mm handgun. But when the Rookie hits the gritty streets of Tampa where he has to break up a violent melee and sees crack for the first time, the only question is will Hugh be up to the test.

Jefferson: The Shootout
In Jefferson Parish, rookie Mark Monson has trouble taking orders from his female FTO Denise Liccardi. He's over-eager and makes basic mistakes again and again. Each rookie is evaluated by their sergeant before riding solo and Mark needs to get it together fast, or risk saying goodbye to his childhood dream of being a police officer. Henry Conravey is a Louisiana native who served his country as a Marine in Iraq. Having seen combat, Conravey has an edge over the other rookies. But when Henry and his FTO Todd Rivere respond to a "shots fired" call in a quiet neighborhood, Henry's overconfidence could actually hurt him.

Tampa: Size Doesn't Matter
It's tough being a cop anywhere, but being a rookie cop in Tampa, Fla., where the crime rate is sky-high, is one of the toughest police jobs in the country. Petite rookie Amy Hess may look like the girl next door, but after a week where she pushes a car, tests crack for the first time, and participates in her first SWAT hit, will she be able to prove "size doesn't matter"? And, on paper, hefty rookie Tommie Tolbert should have the physical size to handle almost any situation. Tommie tries to keep an irate arson victim from attacking her assailant's mother then tries to catch a fleeing criminal only to learn that maybe he has bitten off more than he can chew.

Jefferson: One More Time
Mark Monson completed 12 weeks of field training and is about to be assessed by his sergeant... for the second time. During his first evaluation Mark choked and had to go back and train longer with his FTO. His law enforcement career rides on his performance tonight. If he passes this time, Mark gets his own squad car and begins solo patrol as a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy. If he fails again his life-long dream of becoming a cop could come to an end. Before starting the evaluation Sergeant Mike Corrone takes Mark on a sobering and emotional side trip. Later the pressure is on when Mark tries to handle a simple traffic stop, and the results of his evaluation become uncertain.

Tampa: The Birth Of A Rookie
Rookie Dennis Cooper's wife is about to give birth to a baby girl. Dennis is asked to control an angry juvenile arrested on gun charges, then restrain a grieving a husband after a tragic hit and run accident, causing this father-to-be to start questioning his decision to join the TPD family. Rookie Hugh Herndon passed the first week of Tampa's rigorous Rookie training program, but this former schoolteacher's new classroom are the streets of Tampa; a world that includes drug dealers, prostitutes, and auto thieves who are going to teach Hugh more than he bargained for.

Jefferson: My Name On A Plaque
On his first day of field training, rookie Josh Norris gazes at the "Deputy of the Month" plaques on the wall and wonders what he has to do to get his name up there. Josh meets his FTO Danny Bostic and they head out to patrol one of the worst drug neighborhoods in the Parish. Almost immediately, Josh is faced with a call involving drugs, guns and a stolen car, but he totally fails to impress Danny. Then, a couple days later he puts himself in danger on a disturbance call. Danny's not sure that Josh has what it takes to be a police officer.

Tampa: A Deer In The Headlights
Rookie Elton Johnson is a self-proclaimed country boy from Alabama who just wants to get into "the action". Action is exactly what Elton gets when he is the arresting officer on a drug sting operation and arrests a violent racist drunk. Rookie April Levine's father may be the chief of police of a nearby city, but cops are made not bred. So when April investigates a knifing then goes on her first drug sting operation her law enforcement pedigree won't help her one bit.

Jefferson: Toy Gun
Rebecca Webster was the only female rookie in her Academy class. She knows that as a woman in a man's world, she's going to have to work twice as hard to prove herself. However, Rebecca's rush to do everything on her own just might backfire on her. As rookie John Wiebelt and his FTO patrol in a bad area, John notices a group of men on the corner - one brandishing an assault rifle. Wiebelt takes the lead and the situation is quickly under control. Weeks later, during his evaluation with his sergeant, John again encounters a suspect with an automatic weapon... this time though, there are shots fired and this suspect has his sights set on the cops.

Tampa: There's A New F.T.O. In Town
For Tampa Police Rookie's like Amy Hess even previously simple tasks like driving a car become very complicated. So when Amy is asked to put on the lights and sirens of her patrol car and race "code" to calls, the question isn't: "Will she get there in time?" but rather, "Will she get there at all?" When in the same shift Rookie Dennis Cooper loses not only the evidence from a drug arrest, but also his patrol car, even this former Naval Petty Officer begins to wonder if maybe his chance of becoming a TPD officer has set sail.

Jefferson: Riding Solo
Since Hurricane Katrina, crime in Jefferson Parish Louisiana has been on the rise. Henry Conravey has successfully completed 12 weeks of field training. Everything he's learned is put to the test as he rides with his sergeant for his evaluation, but after a couple of simple mistakes, Henry isn't so sure he'll get "cut loose" to patrol the streets on his own. Chris Cade is looking forward to one thing - getting his own patrol car. At 21, Chris is the youngest rookie in his class. He puts up with FTO Derek Johnson's constant teasing and hazing, and the two develop a brotherly rapport, but when Chris makes a critical error on a traffic stop it is no laughing matter.

Tampa: It's A "Deadly" Profession
Most Rookies dread going on the "Signal 7" or Dead Body call. Rookie April Levine gets not one, but two of these calls. First she must put human bones in a plastic bag, then lift a five day old corpse: complete with flies, maggots, and that unmistakable smell. When his Field Training Officer confronts Rookie Tommie Tolbert about his poor driving, Tommie confesses it's because his feet are pigeon-toed. So when Tommie goes the wrong way down a one-way street then races code to a drive-by-shooting his FTO becomes less concerned about training Tommie... and more concerned about just surviving him.

Jefferson: Rookie Love
Rebecca Webster is ten weeks in to her field training with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office. When Rebecca makes a potentially fatal mistake while attempting to capture an armed suspect, her FTO expresses concern. Later, when faced with a similar call, Rebecca tries to redeem herself. Adding to Rebecca's load is the fact that her boyfriend is a rookie with the department. When he hears a call of "shots fired" over the radio, he realizes the incident is in Rebecca's beat, and the reality of what they both signed up for becomes clear.

Tampa: Finding The Cop Voice
Rookie Dennis Cooper has been searching for his police voice since he started the training program. So when he is asked to participate in a narcotics hit, solve a robbery, and disperse some rowdy kids, he will have every opportunity to use it. But will he? Rookie Elton Johnson has a thick Alabama accent, but yearns to find the voice of a Tampa Police officer. When he stumbles at seemingly simple tasks like filling out paperwork and how he holds his gun, finding his police voice becomes the least of his problems.

Jefferson: The Lost Rookie
Charles Lee has several years as a ranking officer in the military under his belt. Now as a rookie cop in Jefferson Parish he's starting at the bottom again. Charles' experience gives him a leg up, but his know-it-all attitude isn't making him popular with his FTO Greg, or his fellow officers. When Charles disobeys protocol and takes off in a foot chase on his own, Greg is furious, and fears for Charles' safety. As a kid, Nick Buttone dreamed of becoming a cop, and as the top-ranked marksman in his academy class he's eager for action. Nick gets paired with an older, by-the-book FTO named Mike Tisdale, and his enthusiasm for the job fades with each traffic ticket and report he's forced to write. When Nick switches FTOs, life improves and he sees more action. Unfortunately though, an exciting shift for Nick means tragedy for others.

Tampa: Command Presence
Rookie Amy Hess seems to have little fear when it comes to arresting people or confronting the mentally ill, but dealing with German Shepherds is a whole other story. Unfortunately for Amy, being attacked by the K-9 unit's German Shepherd is part of her training. Rookie Tommie Tolbert puts on his detective hat to discover the aggressor in a domestic dispute. He then faces the dangerous task of serving on the entry team of a search warrant bust, but it's when he reaches for his gun on what seems like a routine traffic stop, where this Rookie could face his ultimate test.

Jefferson: Step Up Or Step Off
Vincent Capo went from being a chef to becoming a JPSO rookie police officer in less than a year. FTO Michael Pizzolato is concerned that Vince's shyness and difficulty in communicating with others will hold him back. Then when Vincent fails a simple, but extremely important test, Mike is furious, and his doubts increase. Kevin McGuffie is a hometown boy who wanted to serve his community as a cop ever since he was a little kid. Kevin gets paired with no-nonsense FTO Danny Bostic. On a routine traffic stop, Kevin makes a mistake that will continue to haunt him. On the shifts that follow, Kevin doesn't screw up, but he doesn't exactly shine either. Danny lets Kevin know that he needs to step up or step off.