To Catch a Copper

Production Note - Limited Series

To Catch a Copper is a standalone Limited Series that concluded its 3-episode run in February 2024. This production marks a significant milestone in British documentary filmmaking by gaining unprecedented access to the internal anti-corruption and professional standards units of a major police force. Over four years of filming, the crew followed the Avon and Somerset Police as they handled complaints ranging from misconduct to criminal behavior within their own ranks. The scale of the project was designed to provide a deep, unvarnished look at the mechanisms of police accountability during a period of intense public scrutiny regarding law enforcement ethics.

The series was structured as a finite investigation into the culture and disciplinary processes of the modern police service, rather than an ongoing procedural. By focusing on a specific set of cases within a fixed timeframe, the creators were able to present a comprehensive narrative arc that questions whether the current system is fit for purpose. This definitive conclusion allows the work to serve as a complete historical record and a catalyst for public debate, fulfilling its purpose as a self-contained documentary event without the need for subsequent installments.