In this series, devised by Richard O'Keefe, maverick Detective Sergeant Alan Rockliffe is given the job of training seven new young recruits to the C.I.D., all fresh out of uniform. Under his irascible guidance it is hoped that they will blossom into full-blown detectives. But Rockliffe is human - so human that he makes more mistakes than the 'Babies' he is supposed to be training.