After Jim Dunbar loses his eyesight during a gunfight, the rehabilitated homicide Detective attempts to return to active duty at a new precinct. Facing opposition and doubt from his coworkers and Lieutenant, he is relegated to handling a car theft case with Detective Karen Bettencourt. Dunbar soon discovers that the recovered missing car might be connected to a larger ongoing serial homicide investigation.

The mounting frustration and pressure for Jim to prove himself and make things work as a detective and a person creates more tension with his colleagues and Karen as they collectively investigate the murder of a young boy. Jim's insecurities also begin to seep into his personal life at a dinner party with Christie's coworkers when out of jealousy; he threatens his wife's boss whom he believes was trying to flirt with her. His behavior puts additional strain on the marriage as it brings up unresolved issues for Christie about his past infidelity.

The 8th precinct is distraught when one of their detectives from the anti-crime unit is found murdered. Carl Desmond was shot in the head and his body was thrown in a dumpster. His colleagues and grieving widow, Mary Beth suspects that his murder was an act of revenge by someone he had previously put away. Karen is put in charge of the case, as she and the rest of the detectives must tread carefully in the investigation into the murder of one of their own.

The pivotal moment where his former partner failed to step up and take out the bank robber continues to haunt Jim as he is forced to relive losing his eyesight in a recurring nightmare. Jim struggles to move on with his life, but a joint investigation with the 77th precinct pairs him and his current colleagues with Terry Jansen and another detective as they investigate the murder of two gang members. When they head to the home of Titus Oliver, a possible suspect with a previous criminal record for an interview, he attempts to escape by running up to the roof of his apartment.

Two women are brutally raped and their faces have been branded with a deep jagged cut by their attacker. The detectives interview a white supremacist in prison named Leonard Mattis who might be connected somehow with the attacks due to him being related to the victims through blood and marriage. He denies any involvement. They don't believe him as Mattis' wide range of power and connections in and out of prison is a major factor in these assaults.

Jim's doubts and fears begin to weigh heavily on him after a serial murderer just claimed his fourth victim bumps into him while he was on his way to work and escapes. He believes that if he still had his sight, then he would have been able to apprehend the suspect. This belief is reinforced by Marty's snide comments and the Chief of detectives reprimanding Jim for pulling out his weapon in public.

Sam Berglass who had sought a couple years ago to put away his former swim coach, Warren Doyle for molesting him when he was a teenager is found dead after falling seven floors from his apartment window. Jim was previously part of the investigation into the deceased's claims of abuse, which failed to make a conviction as the case was thrown out due to the lack of evidence. He suspects that Doyle is somehow involved in Sam's death and crusades to have him brought to justice.

Nick receives an ultimatum from Jim to either reveal the dark past to Karen or he will do it for him. Infuriated by this whole no way out scenario, he promises instead to break off the relationship. Later after finding his car vandalized, a golf buddy of the deputy mayor uses that connection to involve the reluctant detectives of the 8th Precinct in his nasty battle with an ex-girlfriend for custody of their son. In the midst of all this, Greg Hermanson, an old friend of Jim who served with him in the Gulf War comes to visit and purge his soul of something that has been slowly eating at him for years.

Fact and fiction gets all jumbled up in a homicide case involving a man who is shot in the face with a shotgun when the detectives learn of the victim's past activities and discover inconsistencies in the widow's story. Meanwhile, Karen gives Jim a hard time for not going to her first with the information about Nick's past.

Much to the dismay of the detectives at the 8th precinct, Jim's informant sets up a drug deal with Debbie Dyman, the girlfriend of his recently murdered second cousin. Sonny believes that this will help the police in their homicide investigation by giving them good leverage to apprehend and keep Debbie at the squad for questioning about his cousin's murder. The only problem with this deal is that he scheduled it to take place in a few hours with a blind man interested in purchasing the drugs.

After a recommendation from Dr. Galloway to temporarily put aside the problems in their marriage before going to couple's counseling, Christie and Jim set out on a quest to search for a fun and comforting activity to do that will bring them closer together.

While Jim is having dinner with Christie at a restaurant, another patron makes a derogatory statement directed towards her. When Jim asks this person to apologize, the man refuses and then attacks him, which leads to an all out brawl in the restaurant. In the midst of all this chaos, the satchel containing Jim's firearm is stolen.

Dunbar investigates the murder of a boxing promoter, and tries to decide if he should give up carrying a gun.