Bedfordshire coppers back on screen with return of 24 Hours in Police Custody

The fly-on-the-wall documentary following the officers and staff of Bedfordshire Police returns Channel 4 tomorrow night.
Investigating Officer Nash Hussain and PC Mark Paul. PNL-160419-151327001Investigating Officer Nash Hussain and PC Mark Paul. PNL-160419-151327001
Investigating Officer Nash Hussain and PC Mark Paul. PNL-160419-151327001

A new series of 24 Hours in Police Custody, filmed last summer, will focus on force priorities.

The first episode, Human Cargo, will screen on Channel 4 at 9pm, on Wednesday (April 20) which starts with a distressed three-year-old girl, her five-year-old sister and their mother being discovered in the back of a lorry at Toddington along with 12 others.

Bedfordshire Police face a race against the clock to find out whether they have been illegally trafficked into the UK and deliberately imprisoned in the refrigerated container for more than 17 hours or whether they have smuggled themselves aboard the lorry unbeknownst to the driver and transport company.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I am a huge advocate for the way we police our communities to be seen ‘uncut’ by the public. Nothing will assure the communities we serve more than those communities being able to look behind the scenes at how we deal with day-to-day issues.

“I have allowed the programme makers full access to the force to enable them and the public to see how we work. These programmes give the public a unique insight into the complex and challenging investigations we carry out.

He added: “Many people have asked why I took the risk of letting rolling cameras into Bedfordshire Police, for me it is straight forward. We are completely accountable to the public and I am a huge champion for transparency and legitimacy in policing, this ‘fly on the wall’ programme gives our communities a unprecedented access to see how our officers and staff manage the day-to-day issues they are faced with.

“It is a refreshingly honest programme and I am confident that it will give a greater understanding of the pressures we face as a relatively small force dealing with levels of criminality normally seen in large metropolitan areas.”