TV Review
24 Hours In Police Custody
For today’s #TuesdayTip, I have chosen to review a TV documentary series that I highly recommend for those seeking an authentic insight into UK policing.
If true crime is what you are after for your TV viewing, there is no shortage of programmes to choose from. There are whole channels that are devoted to it. But the quality varies enormously, from the down-right sensationalist to the truly insightful. Unfortunately, you can’t always be certain what you are tuning into. Some of the US series in particular are quite bad.
Furthermore, police procedure varies enormously between the US and the UK, so if you are looking to write a UK police procedural they are of limited use. That’s not to say they should be dismissed out of hand; I’ve certainly found inspiration for plot ideas over the years.
However, if you want an authentic UK-based series (specifically England and Wales – Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different justice systems), I heartily recommend 24 Hours In Police Custody. Aired on Channel 4 in the UK, many (but strangely not all) programmes are archived on the free All 4 streaming service.
The name of the show is something of a misnomer, and is why I was rather late to the party, only finding it during lockdown. It conjures up images of fly-on-wall scenes from cameras above the custody desk as an endless parade of drunken idiots are booked into the cells for the night – think Big Brother, but everyone is wearing a grey tracksuit. However it is far from that.
Based primarily in Luton, it follows detectives from Bedfordshire police as they solve serious crimes. Camera crews follow them from the initial 999 call right through the investigative process, including interviews with witnesses and suspects, candid discussions with the detectives and specialists involved, and occasionally victims’ loved-ones. Forensic specialists are shown going about their business and if necessary, the science explained. Sometimes body-worn camera footage is also shown. My wife and I sometimes joke that you can guess who is guilty, as they are the only person who hasn’t had their face pixelated for legal reasons!
An individual episode might span several years, with the programme only aired once all the legal proceedings are completed (and the outcomes are given before the end credits). There are a couple of special episodes that pick-up detectives revisiting a cold case many years after the original crime was committed.As a writer of police procedurals, I have found it invaluable. The interview scenes are especially useful. Conducted by trained interview specialists, the days of banging the table and trying to intimidate the suspect into a confession are long gone. In fact, most interviews are ‘no comment’. However, there is a real science to effective interviewing, plus a raft of legislation that has to be adhered to.
Equally insightful is the CID office and the team briefings. This is where you get a real sense of the scale of a major murder investigation. As writers, we tend to keep our cast of characters limited, so that readers don’t get confused with too many names, and all characters get a chance to shine. In reality there are dozens of police officers and civilian specialists, each of whom plays their part. You should aim to reflect this in your books, without swamping the story with detail and too many featured characters.
It also captures the sheer banality of most murders. Generally speaking, the victims knew each other, and it’s less about working out who the suspects are than figuring out what role they played in what transpired. Yet it is still a fascinating watch. Occasionally the investigations are more of a whodunnit, especially some of the special episodes that might have several parts.
If true crime is what you are after for your TV viewing, there is no shortage of programmes to choose from. There are whole channels that are devoted to it. But the quality varies enormously, from the down-right sensationalist to the truly insightful. Unfortunately, you can’t always be certain what you are tuning into. Some of the US series in particular are quite bad.
Furthermore, police procedure varies enormously between the US and the UK, so if you are looking to write a UK police procedural they are of limited use. That’s not to say they should be dismissed out of hand; I’ve certainly found inspiration for plot ideas over the years.
However, if you want an authentic UK-based series (specifically England and Wales – Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different justice systems), I heartily recommend 24 Hours In Police Custody. Aired on Channel 4 in the UK, many (but strangely not all) programmes are archived on the free All 4 streaming service.
The name of the show is something of a misnomer, and is why I was rather late to the party, only finding it during lockdown. It conjures up images of fly-on-wall scenes from cameras above the custody desk as an endless parade of drunken idiots are booked into the cells for the night – think Big Brother, but everyone is wearing a grey tracksuit. However it is far from that.
Based primarily in Luton, it follows detectives from Bedfordshire police as they solve serious crimes. Camera crews follow them from the initial 999 call right through the investigative process, including interviews with witnesses and suspects, candid discussions with the detectives and specialists involved, and occasionally victims’ loved-ones. Forensic specialists are shown going about their business and if necessary, the science explained. Sometimes body-worn camera footage is also shown. My wife and I sometimes joke that you can guess who is guilty, as they are the only person who hasn’t had their face pixelated for legal reasons!
An individual episode might span several years, with the programme only aired once all the legal proceedings are completed (and the outcomes are given before the end credits). There are a couple of special episodes that pick-up detectives revisiting a cold case many years after the original crime was committed.As a writer of police procedurals, I have found it invaluable. The interview scenes are especially useful. Conducted by trained interview specialists, the days of banging the table and trying to intimidate the suspect into a confession are long gone. In fact, most interviews are ‘no comment’. However, there is a real science to effective interviewing, plus a raft of legislation that has to be adhered to.
Equally insightful is the CID office and the team briefings. This is where you get a real sense of the scale of a major murder investigation. As writers, we tend to keep our cast of characters limited, so that readers don’t get confused with too many names, and all characters get a chance to shine. In reality there are dozens of police officers and civilian specialists, each of whom plays their part. You should aim to reflect this in your books, without swamping the story with detail and too many featured characters.
It also captures the sheer banality of most murders. Generally speaking, the victims knew each other, and it’s less about working out who the suspects are than figuring out what role they played in what transpired. Yet it is still a fascinating watch. Occasionally the investigations are more of a whodunnit, especially some of the special episodes that might have several parts.
If you want your writing to be realistic, you would do well to watch a few episodes of this excellent show.
Do you have any recommendations for useful documentaries? Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Are you a writer with a tip to share? Don’t be shy, I’m always looking for guest bloggers or ideas for future posts.
I am going on a brief hiatus for the holiday period. I’ll be back in the new year. Until then, happy holidays!
Paul
