| Southland Episode | |
| Season 3, Episode 2 | |
 | |
| Air date | January 11, 2011 |
| Written by | Cheo Hodari Coker |
| Directed by | Christopher Chulack |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Let It Snow |
next Discretion |
Punching Water is the second episode of Season Three of Southland.
Summary[]
Shorthanded on detectives, Det. Salinger brings in Lydia Adams and Josie Ochoa to help Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta solve a series of gang-related murders. When a 4-year-old boy gets in the cross-hairs of a drive by shooting, the whole of Southeast Division is out looking for the gangbangers who shot him. This crime leaves some of the officers questioning why they became cops in the first place. Dewey returns and preaches about being free of alcohol, but his disruptive attitude returns while on patrol.