 While vacationing at a mountain cabin, San Francisco Chief of Detectives Robert Ironside is shot and wounded during an assassination attempt. The attack leaves him a paraplegic, however, he still feels he can be of help to the police. Ironside is offered the position of special consultant and helps the police on many of their most baffling cases. Helping Ironside is Detective Sgt. Ed Brown, policewoman Eve Whitfield and ex-delinquent Mark Sanger. During the course of the series, Eve leaves the force and is replaced by policewoman Fran Belding and Mark not only becomes a policeman, he also passes the bar and becomes an attorney.