Carl Weathers stars as Detroit cop Jericho "Action" Jackson, who earned his nickname due to putting his body on the line time and again in the line of duty in roughhousing and apprehending perps.  Unfortunately for Jackson, the police captain (Duke)  demotes him to the role of desk-jockey due to his dangerous reputation that has given the force a black eye by going too far in trying to take down the son of a slimy, power-hungry car company tycoon named Peter Dellaplane (Nelson).  Jackson begins to suspect that Dellaplane himself is behind a series of murders of union officials, and he aims to take him down, even if he has to risk his job, and his neck, by leaving the comfy confines of his office desk to do it.