A helicopter flying over Brighton and Hove for hours yesterday was filming a documentary about the city’s police force.
ITV is filming a three-part documentary based at John Street station, with the working title The Nick.
The helicopter was over the city from mid-afternoon yesterday until late at night. Dozens took to Twitter to find out more – but last night there was only speculation as to what it could be.
Is it a bird, is it a plane? Helicopter chase with The Latest news team today. pic.twitter.com/6xs9IRKD5J
— Mhairi Beveridge (@LatestMhairi) September 4, 2014
When the documentary was announced back in June, borough commander Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp said: “I want the public to see first-hand the complexities of policing, and the demands on my officers and staff. Many of them go above and beyond the call of duty to keep the public safe. It is a demanding job and we have some very dedicated people willing to do extraordinary things.
“In the last few years we have seen a number of stories damage public trust and confidence in the British police. I am hugely proud to be a British police officer and welcome transparency and accountability – after all it is the public who pay for us. That is why I think it is right to let the film makers in.
“I’m also confident that my officers and staff deliver top class policing that will make the police and the public who watch the series proud of our policing service.”
Richard Klein, Head of Factual Programming at ITV said: “Policing modern Britain isn’t easy, and yet we all expect the very best of our police forces. The chance to explore just how difficult this is, juggling manpower and public duty with a limited budget and the ever-increasing complexities of the modern world – and this in the context of the ever-growing expectations of the public about what their police officers are actually supposed to be doing; and then set that in the sprawling, toursity, urban conurbation that is 2014 Brighton: that is a chance few would turn down. I am grateful and very pleased indeed that Sussex police and the Brighton division in particular have allowed ITV to make a documentary series portraying the realities of modern policing.”
In summer 2013 Sussex Police agreed to two non-broadcast ‘taster’ films being made, so that the producers could explore thelogistics of filming such a series, and the force could carefully consider its working relationship with those involved to see if there was an appetite to proceed.
In November 2013 a further proposal for the series was considered at a chief officer meeting, where the opportunities, risks and mitigations for taking part in such a series were considered.
Three two-man film crews have been working from May until now. The bulk of filming was due to be done last month.
Partners in the city who work with Sussex Police have also been made aware.
I dont think this is the real reason 😉