The film kicks off dramatically outside a building where a group of terrorists is wielding a nuclear bomb alongside a rather unconventional weapon: a dildo. The Reno Sheriff's Department swoops in via helicopter to manage this absurd crisis. As they disembark, the main operatives are seen clad in their tactical garb, armed with an array of guns and ammo. However, there’s a twist with Dep. Clementine Johnson, portrayed by Wendi McLendon-Covey, who surprises everyone by sporting a skimpy costume beneath her trench coat.
As the officers gear up for action, they quickly realize their commander is missing. Just then, Lt. Jim Dangle makes a flamboyant entrance on a motorcycle, only to comically crash into a police car. Deputy Travis Junior wakes up to find that this entire thrilling scene was merely a dream, as he and Dangle tumble through a construction site and into a port-a-john.
The narrative progresses with entertaining vignettes of each officer detailing their motivation to enter law enforcement—styled after the classic "COPS" format. Following a hilarious mishap involving a chicken mistakenly categorized as an "armed person on a roof," Lt. Dangle informs the team that they’ve been extended an invitation to the American Police Convention in Miami Beach. Unfortunately, after a grueling 35-hour bus ride, they arrive only to realize their names aren’t on the guest list, leaving them without hotel keys or entry passes. Consequently, they settle for a seedy motel downtown that appears to be a hotspot for illicit activities.
As night falls, the officers change into revealing outfits and attempt to charm one another with drinks. Their efforts, however, lead to a series of awkward failures, resulting in most resorting to self-pleasure. This scenario leaves a cringe-worthy impression on Jones, who flees as he inadvertently witnesses their antics from outside.
After a tumultuous night of hangovers (with Johnson especially trying to piece together her encounter with a man whose face she now has tattooed on her breast), the group heads to the convention center, only to find it cordoned off due to a bio-chemical terrorist incident. The only remaining personnel are HazMAT teams, National Security, and assistant deputy mayor Jeff Spoder, played by Patton Oswalt.
The head of National Security informs the Reno Sheriff's Department that due to the circumstances, they are the last officers left to maintain law and order in Miami Beach. Chaos intensifies when a high-ranking SWAT member, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, inadvertently blows himself up during a grenade demonstration.
Arriving at the local Sheriff’s Department, the team marvels at the upgraded resources compared to Reno, with deputies cruising around in shiny 2006 Mustangs. Their courageous but often zany operational responses lead them to handle all sorts of bizarre emergencies, from an alligator lounging in a pool to a whale washed ashore, which they comically decide to remove by detonating it.
Their adventures culminate when it’s revealed that Jeff is behind the poisoning of police officers at the convention, seeking to conspire with drug lord Ethan, played by Paul Rudd, to dominate Miami. The narrative adds a dramatic twist as Jeff eliminates Ethan when captured, bolting off with the antidote. The Reno crew embarks on a high-speed chase in golf carts. Just when it seems they’re caught in a tight spot on a bridge, Jones and Garcia swoop in with a Marine helicopter, leading to Jeff’s ultimate capture.
The following day, the officers receive the much-anticipated antidote, celebrating their teamwork with applause and commendations. Lt. Dangle secures a dream opportunity with the Aspen Sheriff’s Department, ready to depart but promising to cherish his time with his colleagues.
In a twist of fate, as they prepare to return home by bus, Terry reveals he has a jet lined up, an assertion met with skepticism until a limo arrives to whisk him away to the airport. With all of them shocked, they join him for the ride. Back in Reno, the team regroups for a briefing, interrupted by Dangle who now comically reveals he’s been rejected by Aspen for being gay. Having not truly left, he arrives to divulge that the Reno Sheriff's Department has received an invitation to the National Police Convention at Scotland Yard, to which everyone erupts in cheers, solidifying their camaraderie and leaving the audience in stitches.
