Rookie Blue Episode 1.03 Fite Nite

POLICE LOG: All officers to assist in an undercover operation involving a suspected supplier of armor-piercing bullets, aka cop killers. Rookie officers are to observe only during the sting. Barring any unforeseen issues, all officers are welcome to attend Fite Nite at the end of their shift. Detailed report follows:

Andy breaks into her dad's apartment to find Tommy passed out on the floor. When he wakes up, Tommy vows to stop boozing for Fite Nite. What's Fite Night, you ask? It's a raucous boxing tourney where cops trade blows with other cops as their brothers and sisters in blue cheer from the cheap seats. A rookie from 15 Division has won Fite Nite every year for over a decade. Stepping into the ring this particular year is Officer Traci Nash.

The rookies must tackle day shift duties before Fite Nite rolls around. A lowlife named Milan Beljac is selling armor-piercing bullets known as cop killers. Surveillance cameras are set up in the apartment where Beljac is making a sale. An undercover cop is making the buy. The rookies are ordered to observe only. Dov and Traci are in a van outside. Chris is stuck at the station. Gail and Andy cover the floor above the wired apartment.

Andy and Gail investigate some yelling from an apartment that could compromise the trap. The place belongs to a woman named Melanie and her husband, Dan. Andy and Gail arrest a man Dan claims assaulted him by scratching his face. The arrestee says Dan was going to beat up Melanie and that they cuffed the wrong guy.

With the noise problem resolved, the operation goes down without a hitch. Beljac is busted. When Traci spots a possible member of Beljac's crew outside the van, she chases after him. Dov has no choice but the back her up as they take down the young suspect. Traci is jazzed they caught the kid, but miffed at Jerry when he tells her he's writing her up for disobeying his order to stay put. It's standard procedure, but Traci thinks it's personal.

Andy realizes men don't typically scratch each other during fights, so the woman they saw earlier may have been defending herself. Andy and Gail return to the apartment to find Melanie being pummeled by her husband. They arrest the wife-beater and set up Melanie at a shelter. But Dan is released from custody and convinces Melanie to give him another chance. Andy begs her not to go back to him, but it's out of her hands.

There are more cop killer bullets out there, but Beljac isn't about to reveal where. Jerry suggests tossing Dov's unidentified collar into the interview room with Beljac. This turns out to be a fortuitous move, as the kid is Beljac's younger brother. Not wanting to see the boy go down the same road he did, Beljac gives up the location of his remaining bullet supply. All he wants is for Dov to do right by his brother.

Fite Nite has arrived. In between chugs of whiskey, Tommy McNally tells Chris that the woman Traci is fighting is a ringer. Round one seems to prove that true. Traci's down, but not out. She tags the ringer with a flurry of fists to the face. This rookie's a master at delivering punches in bunches. The ringer goes down and doesn't get up.

An unscheduled fight takes place outside the ring. When Tommy gets into a drunken brawl, an embarrassed Andy says, "I have to work with these people." She quickly apologizes to her dad for hurting his feelings. Traci, on the other hand, seeks a different kind of apology from Jerry after hearing the kid she chased helped close his case. But Jerry only sarcastically says he's sorry for caring about her safety. Judging by what we saw in the ring, he should know Traci can take care of herself.

At the end of the day, Gail struggles with the fact that some believe she's working the system through relatives in high places. Traci tells Andy that the reason she started boxing is because it felt good once, but things are different now. Andy can relate. Her dad embarrasses her, yet she's the one who ends up apologizing.

To cheer up, Andy accepts an offer Luke Callaghan made during the boxing matches. She meets him for a late drink at an after-hours club. Luke is obviously thrilled she's joining him. The same cannot be said for Sam Swarek, who happens to be sitting at the other end of the bar. While Andy seems to be all smiles, we're not sure what to make of the look on Sam's face.