After they arrest Little Huey Chaco, Captain Dobey says they cannot hold him after the only eyewitness said that was not him. However they absolutely could have held him for assault charges on the woman in the diner he held hostage, maybe even Battery (for grabbing her) and even illegal detention, for holding her hostage. Either way this guy is going to jail.
When Starsky and Hutch encounter John Harris a shootout ensues. Harris begins shooting at them with a lever action rifle. His rifle later becomes a .30 caliber M1 Carbine rifle. Hutch returns fire with his Colt Python revolver. His revolver always has a six inch barrel until now. Now it has a four inch barrel.