Following officers from Staffordshire’s overstretched police force as they talk candidly about the frustrations of being on the beat in one of the UK’s most deprived cities - Stoke-on-Trent. In recent years, Staffordshire police have lost more than a quarter of their officers due to budget cuts. Filmed over six months, this series follows emergency response teams trying to combat a backlog of cases and a rise in gang culture, hate crime and domestic violence. Searingly honest interviews from the chief constable and his team reveal how they manage their limited resources and how they feel about the decisions they have to make.
As society changes, crime changes – and many of Staffordshire Police’s long-serving officers have experienced this first-hand. One of the biggest shifts is around the way domestic abuse is handled. Historically, police saw domestic arguments as a private matter, but now there is growing police awareness around not only dealing with the perpetrators of abuse, but also the need to safeguard the victims. A large part of the work of the police is now about protecting the public and seeking help for victims of abuse.
Documentary following Staffordshire Police officers, who talk candidly about the frustrations of being on the beat in Stoke-on-Trent, one of the UK's most deprived cities.
