Ep 7. An Occupational Hazard

In the Heat of the Night season 6 episode 7, titled "An Occupational Hazard," follows the lives of the characters in the fictitious southern town of Sparta. This episode begins with a hit and run accident that leads to the discovery of the body of a young woman on the side of the road. The woman, who seems to be a victim of a homicide, is identified as a local commercial pilot named Julie Hegland.

The city police, with the help of the community, launch an investigation into the death of the young woman. The first person they question is Julie's husband, who has an alibi for the night of the murder. The detectives then focus their investigation on the pilots who use the local airport. They discover that many of them frequently visited the pub that Julie owned and therefore had some connection to her.

Finally, they come across one such pilot, Greg Qualtrough, who had a heated argument with Julie the night she was murdered. The detectives are convinced that Qualtrough is guilty, as he cannot account for his whereabouts on the night of the murder. But they have no concrete evidence to prove his guilt, so they must keep digging.

Meanwhile, Sparta Police Chief William Gillespie is dealing with a situation of his own. He has received multiple complaints from the community about his officers' behavior, and his own officers are unhappy with the way they have been treated. To make matters worse, Gillespie's daughter Denise is a suspect in a breaking and entering case. As the allegations against the police department continue to mount, Gillespie is under a lot of pressure to address the situation.

In the end, the Sparta detectives gather all the evidence against Qualtrough, including a motive for why he killed Julie, and they finally arrest him. As the episode concludes, Gillespie is at the hospital, where he is relieved to find out that his daughter was not involved in the break-in, and he starts to ponder how to address the complaints about the police department.

Overall, "An Occupational Hazard" is a gripping and thought-provoking episode that delves into the lives of the people of Sparta. From the investigation into Julie's murder to Gillespie's struggles with his department, this episode is filled with suspense and drama. It shines a light on the issue of police misconduct and raises questions about what can be done to prevent it. The talented cast, including Carroll O'Connor, Howard E. Rollins Jr., and Anne-Marie Johnson, deliver powerful performances that make this episode a must-watch for fans of crime dramas.