Night Coppers - new Sussex police show airs

Night Coppers, which aired on Channel 4 last night, is an eight-part series which follows Sussex Police officers as they get to work in Brighton and Hove.

The show is an opportunity for the public to see the “challenging” work they face after dark, said Brighton police commander Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw.

“Keeping people safe is our priority, always, and Night Coppers reflects the commitment, compassion and skills needed to police our busy and vibrant city after dark – as our teams do right across Sussex 24/7,” he said.

“As we double down on our commitment to listening and taking action against public concern, allowing independent cameras in is one way we can help demonstrate some of the positive action being taken to keep people safe and, in this context, includes our work with partners to tackle violence against women and girls and women’s safety in public spaces.

Night Coppers

“Policing is a challenging, unique, and extraordinarily rewarding job and the series shows a side of life many people will never see and some of the hard realities of policing through the eyes of real people behind the uniform. It is delivered by the production company in a way that is fresh, raw and honest.”

The show was filmed across busy weekends between December 2021 and January of this year.

It documents the response from officers, from rookies to the top of the ranks, whether they are out across the city or in the custody centres.

“From dealing with potential spiking incidents, sexual assault and knife crime, to being assaulted or simply engaging with party-goers as they head home, the series reflects the variety and the extremes of policing the night shift,” said a spokesman for Sussex Police.

Night Coppers has been produced by Blast Films, which is responsible for other investigative series such as Channel 4’s 999: What’s Your Emergency and Hospital on BBC Two.