BBC - The Met Policing London - Series 1 (2015) Part 1

A TV series created by the Open University and the BBC provides a unique insight into Britain's busiest police force, the Met. “The Met Policing London” is a five-part prime-time BBC One documentary series that follows officers from Britain's biggest and busiest police service as it tackles with drug dealing, violence, and its victims, all across the capital. Over 2,000 officers have joined the ranks of the Metropolitan police since 2014, tasked with ensuring the streets of London are safe for its 8 million residents, 24 hours a day. This five-part series explores the highs and lows of one of the toughest jobs in Britain. The series is the first ever to gain top to bottom access to the Metropolitan Police Service – and BBC Studios was granted extraordinary access to film the organisation, showing the public the work of the Met in a way never seen before. The first series covers everything from homicide to firearms, burglaries to gang warfare and filmed with everyone from the Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to the new recruits on their first day on the beat. Broadcasting on BBC One, the series was a ratings smash and a critical hit. It was a series that attracted considerable attention from the beginning of its run and was swiftly re-commissioned for a second series, aired in May 2017.

Part 1

The first episode centres on Scotland Yard and its anxiety about renewed racial tension during an inquiry into the death of a young black man which sparked riots nationwide. In 2011, a 29-year-old black man and suspected gang member called Mark Duggan was fatally shot by a firearms officer in Tottenham. The officer believed Duggan had a gun and that he might use it. The Met's handling of the situation in the days that followed sparked some of the worst riots in London's history. An inquiry is about to announce whether the killing was lawful or unlawful. It's creating anxiety in Scotland Yard and tension on the streets of Tottenham, one of the most racially diverse areas of Britain and home to the Duggan family. Management at Scotland Yard is busy planning around the verdict whatever the outcome, they are anxious that it may spark fresh riots. Victor Olisa is one of just five borough commanders in the Met from a black or ethnic minority background. He was moved to Tottenham after the riots to try to heal the Met's relationship with some of the community. When the verdict is announced, his station becomes the focus of community frustrations and the pressure is on Victor to manage the situation, which he does by asking for help from community leaders. In the weeks that follow, tensions between some of London's black community and the Met are running high. Police think it's time for a new approach. At the annual Splash street party in Brixton, they work with the black community to police the event the way the community wants it policed. But can this approach work when gangs have caused chaos in previous years? And can there ever be a long-term solution to the troubled history of London's police and some of the city's black community?

Full Version Available Upon Request