Inspector Sledge Hammer of the San Francisco Police Department is a violent, sadistic, insensitive, yet oddly likable detective. His best friend is a .44 Magnum Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver with a customized grip featuring a drawing of a sledgehammer. Hammer sleeps and showers with his gun, and even talks to it. He believes in shooting first and asking questions never. In the pilot episode, he deals with a sniper on a skyscraper roof by blowing up the entire building with a bazooka, then turns to the uniformed cops on scene and says "I think I got 'em". He also mentions that his favorite charity is "Toy Guns for Tots". Hammer's father was Jack Hammer, a legendary carnival trick shooter whose repertoire of shooting tricks included catching a bullet in his teeth, which saved his son's life in one episode. His mother's name was Armin Hammer.