Hondo, his father Daniel Sr. and his teen charge Darryl confront the history of racial tension in Los Angeles between law enforcement and the Black community, through flashbacks to the city in 1992 following the Rodney King verdict. Also, the SWAT team pursues El Diablo's scattered drug cartel hiding in the city and a Jihadist group detonating bombs in coordinated attacks.
The SWAT team acts as a domestic surveillance unit for the CIA to confirm whether an international crime lord has resurfaced in Los Angeles after being off-grid for years. Also, Tan's mother, Chan Fei, is a victim of racial discrimination, and Hondo encounters his ex-girlfriend Nichelle, for the first time since their breakup.
Hondo is conflicted when Leroy, his incarcerated childhood friend and Darryl's father, asks him to speak on his behalf at a parole hearing. Also, SWAT helps the FBI track down a mob informant on the run from the crime family he is meant to testify against, and the team dynamic becomes complicated when Street and Tan sign up for a leadership competition Chris has been training months for.
The SWAT team searches for a rogue member of an extremist group planning to attack the memorial service of a famous musician who was outspoken about police brutality. Also, tension mounts between Hondo and Leroy, Darryl's father, when Leroy is released from prison early.
Hondo is conflicted when the mayor asks him to be the public face of a new outreach campaign meant to improve the LAPD's stature within the Black community. Also, the team's search for a lone bomber reminds Tan of a difficult chapter in his childhood, and Chris pushes herself even further to surpass Street and Tan in a SWAT leadership competition.
Chris brings the SWAT team into her personal mission to save a teenage girl from a charismatic, predatory religious leader using his church for illicit gain. Also, Hondo receives troubling news about Darryl related to Leroy, Darryl's father, being released from prison, and Tan's wedding planning hits a snag.
The SWAT team goes on the hunt for a sniper who is targeting the Los Angeles Fire Department by setting fires around the city to lure in unsuspecting engine companies. The rivalry between Chris, Street and Tan ratchets up when Tan finds out there's an internal betting pool on which of them will win the SWAT leadership competition. Street and Molly's relationship is strained by his complicated history with his imprisoned mother.
SWAT searches for a group of extremists carrying out coordinated attacks against local businesses. Deacon and his wife, Annie, find themselves at odds when Annie wants to enroll their daughter in private school.
A tragic mission leads each member of the SWAT team to contend with their emotional distress in varied ways.
As the SWAT team helps the LAPD search for the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance, they're joined in the field by a new team member. The personal strain between Chris and Street comes to a head as both await Hicks' decision on who the winner is of a prestigious leadership competition.
Mumford returns to work a 15-year-old cold case that holds a personal connection and leads to the discovery of a dangerous drug ring. Hondo is leery of Leroy's motives when he discovers the recent parolee is seeking funding for a new business venture with his son, Darryl.
A high-stakes domestic disturbance involving a father and his two young daughters leads the team to race against the clock to save a group of international activists.
The team works together to hunt down a deadly band of mercenaries hired by a wealthy CEO trying to leave the country before he's arrested for running a massive Ponzi scheme; Hondo is forced to confront his changing relationship with Darryl.
As the team works to stop a unhappy attack on the city, they're forced to confront the group responsible for the passing of a team member; Hondo and Leroy disagree on how to handle a challenge to Darryl's fledgling business.
The team tries to track down a media-savvy crew of bank robbers who consider themselves a band of modern-day Robin Hoods, funneling stolen cash back into their struggling neighborhood, before the mission turns deadly. Also, Hondo and Deacon clash over how to deal with a group of cops' racist views.
When four escaped prisoners take control of a courthouse with Hondo and Deacon inside but unarmed, the two race to save the lives of innocent civilians while trying to avoid detection themselves. Street visits his mother in the hospital and faces a pivotal decision.
The team races to rescue victims of a sex trafficking ring that is preying on disenfranchised women. Also, Hondo finds himself at odds with Leroy and Darryl over the future of their business, and Street confronts Chris about meeting with his hospitalized mom.
The bombing of a Los Angeles police station puts the city on edge, leading the team to a final showdown with a group of domestic extremists. Also, Hondo faces the fallout from a bold decision that threatens his future, and Tan takes a big step in his personal life.