A ground-breaking documentary following the vital and challenging work of the officers and staff who investigate their colleagues will be broadcast on Channel 4.

In 2019, documentary-maker Story Films was invited into film with our Professional Standards Department (PSD), including the Counter-Corruption Unit (CCU), to shine a light on an area of policing which acts as a guardian of the high standards expected of those who take the oath to serve and protect.

The result is the three-part series 'To Catch a Copper', which will broadcast on Channel 4 on Monday nights from January 29.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew said: "When we first invited Story Films to follow the dedicated officers and staff who work in our Professional Standards Department, we could never have foreseen the intense publicity and scrutiny this area of policing would experience over the following years.

"It's abundantly clear the public's confidence in policing has been critically dented by the horrific actions of officers like Wayne Couzens and David Carrick, and urgent recovery work must be undertaken to restore this precious bond we have with our communities.

"We knew that taking part in this documentary would be a controversial decision. Public institutions can be reluctant to open themselves up to this level of scrutiny, but people will see that we're facing into the issues, however uncomfortable, which I hope will help to improve trust and confidence in our ability to police by consent.

"I want people to see that we understand their concerns, and we're taking robust action to tackle all forms of misconduct, rooting out those who have no place in this profession and making sure they can never serve again.

"This programme will inevitably show the challenges and complexities of the misconduct regime we work within; a regime which is undergoing further significant change in the months ahead in response to public concern. 

"I want to be clear from the outset, we're sorry for the harm and distress the cases featuring in this programme have caused. Some of these cases are upsetting and appalling and we wish they had never happened.

"These cases are the exception and not the rule. They do not reflect on the professionalism and caring approach of the vast majority of officers and staff who are passionate about their role in keeping people safe, as well as fighting for fairness and justice.

"To put it into context, at the end of last year, we had 6,668 officers and staff, plus a further 211 Special Constables. And over a five-year period, between January 2019 and December 2023, a total of 56 officers and 44 staff/PCSOs either were dismissed during a misconduct hearing or would have been dismissed had they not resigned prior to it taking place.

"But to expel this minority of wrongdoers from policing takes a concerted effort from all those who work within it. Everyone has a role to play in creating a culture of upstanding and not by-standing, a culture which calls out misconduct for what it is, challenges those who don't share our values, and doesn't tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or inappropriate behaviour."

Each episode of the documentary focuses on a specific theme: firstly around mental health (29 January), secondly on race (5 February) and the final episode is around sexual misconduct (12 February).