“Bent coppers” are everywhere on TV and we can’t stop watching them. Line of Duty, probably the biggest police procedural the BBC had produced in decades, is all about rooting up corrupt police officers. But it’s a little less fun to watch officer misconduct when it’s really happening—but no less engaging as ‘To Catch a Copper’ proved.
Broadcast on Channel 4, about this time last year, the documentary series follows the Counter-Corruption Unit of the Avon and Somerset Police. From four years of filming, and across three 45-minute episodes, ‘To Catch a Copper’ spotlights everything from racial profiling to revenge porn and excessive use of force.
We don’t want to spoil the doc, or try to upset anyone too much, so we’ll keep specifics to a minimum. But, anyone confident in law enforcement’s ability to police itself will be shocked to learn that out of 5,000 complaints filed during filming, 4,000 resulted in no action, 43 officers were dismissed and three officers were convicted on criminal charges. Nevertheless, it’s essential viewing—with all episodes still available to stream now.
In lighter news, ‘To Catch a Copper’ has won Best Documentary Series at The Broadcast Awards, which “recognise and reward the UK’s most ground-breaking content, creators and channels.” The series, created by Hugo Pettitt and Ashley Francis-Roy for Story Films, was voted for by a panel of more than 100 industry experts
Shortlisted for the award were ‘Defiance: Fighting the Far Right’ (Channel 4), ‘Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar’ (BBC), ‘Lockerbie’ (Sky Documentaries), ‘Miriam: Death of a Reality Star’ (Channel 4) and ‘On Thin Ice: Putin V Greenpeace’ (BBC). Other winners include ‘Blue Lights’ (Best Drama Series Or Serial), ‘Horrible Histories: The Gruesome Gunpowder Plot’ (Best Children’s Programme), and ‘Ludwig’ (Best Comedy Programme).
To see all winners from The Broadcast Awards 2025 head here.