Adam-12: Season 4, Episode 7

4 - 7: Truant

Two boys break into a garage. Truants have become a big problem in terms of crime and Reed has a plan he wants approved to pick up truants on the street. While patrolling, they come upon a stalled car they help off the street. Malloy receives a message to hold the car and occupants under arrest. They are smuggling heroin in the gas tank and some leaked stalling the car. They spot a stolen car which leads them to the thieves who stripped the car to build a dune buggy. Reed's plan is approved but initially the other officers are unhappy playing babysitter. A pair of truants are spotted and picked up as a call comes in about a nearby theft. The lady identifies the two truants as the thieves and they are caught with the goods. The results show massive reduction in crime and happier officers. However, as Reed envisions stopping juvenile crime, one of the boys from the first call whose mother did not see her son as a problem is brought into the station again.