In carrying out their duties, Malloy and Reed have of late been unwantedly shadowed by two young men, Mark Gurney and Jerry Bowen, who seem intent on provoking some sort of negative reaction from Malloy and Reed. Gurney and Bowen are able to follow Adam-12 because they have a police scanner installed in their car. Their outward motive is to provide public oversight into the workings of the police, a public body. However, Malloy and Reed probably rightly believe that Gurney and Bowen just want to create a sensational story, regardless of the consequences. Even when Malloy and Reed are given the thankless task of informing a woman that her husband has just died, Gurney and Bowen seem more interested in the story rather than the feelings of the grieving widow. Malloy has to control Reed, who is more irritated of the two officers, into not doing anything stupid just because of Gurney and Reed's presence. Their standoff seemingly won't end until Malloy and/or Reed do that something stupid in Gurney and Bowen's presence, or if something perceived as being improper on Malloy and/or Reed's part is done based on circumstantial evidence. Conversely, but no less tragic, the standoff may end if Gurney and/or Bowen's interference causes an incident in and of itself.
—Huggo