Today's Tuesday Tip is another TV review. This time it's The Force: Manchester.
There have been several seasons of this fly-on-the-wall policing documentary, dating back to 2015. We have been watching it weekly in repeats on the Pick TV channel, however it is available across several different streaming platforms.
Previously I have reviewed 24 Hours in Police Custody (Tip#129), an occasional series which looks at an individual investigation from 999 call to trial. I then reviewed Night Coppers (Tip#145) which focuses on response police officers doing the night shift in Brighton.
The Force: Manchester again deals with uniformed response officers, but covers day and night shifts across Greater Manchester. Like Night Coppers, this is less about the investigation, more the day-to-day policing and the incidents that police are called to. There is a good mix of roads policing, drugs raids, mass disturbances (including policing volatile football matches), dog searches and domestic disputes.
As always, there is good entertainment to be had in some of the bizarre interactions officers deal with, as well as scenes that will make you feel anger or despair. As a writer, it is again full of useful nuggets of information and little details. What I really like though, is the candid nature of the officers when talking to the camera. One particular roads policing officer is very open about his thoughts regarding bad and dangerous driving. Other officers are openly exasperated at the time wasted by domestic disputes (note: I'm not talking about domestic violence - rather 'my neighbour keeps on moving my wheelie bin' etc). As more than one officer observed, there are too many people who are incapable of resolving disagreements in an adult fashion and automatically call the police.
The show is several years old now, so one can only assume that the ongoing budget cuts have made things even worse, especially with the Covid crisis.


Definitely one worth watching.
Have you watched any decent documentaries or fly-on-the-wall series that you would recommend?
As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time.
Paul
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

Today's Tuesday Tip is another TV review. This time it's the three-part documentary Gaia: A Death On Dancing Ledge.
The programme is available on the BBC iPlayer.
The documentary, presented by Zara McDermott, explores the mysterious disappearance of nineteen-year-old Gaia Pope-Sutherland.

Many of the documentaries I recommend delve into the mechanics of investigating serious crime, such as police procedure and forensics. This one is a little different. As writers of crime fiction, we often portray ultimately successful police investigations. Also, we can sometimes skirt over the victims' stories to focus on the detectives. This series redresses that balance, somewhat.

In a nutshell, Gaia went missing from Swanage, Dorset in November 2017. She was missing for eleven days, before being found dead. The initial police investigation was described as 'amateurish' in that the officers handling the initial report incorrectly categorised her as low-risk, rather than high-risk, perhaps leading to her unnecessary death. During the search, three individuals were arrested on suspicion of murder, although they were subsequently released without charge and Gaia's death ruled non-suspicious.

That in itself is an interesting story. But the backstory leading up to these tragic events is a convoluted, dark and heart-breaking tale. Gaia's family and friends are at the heart of this story and McDermott is an engaging and sensitive presenter. She delves deep into the circumstances surrounding Gaia's disappearance and death, and goes to some very dark places, unearthing an online culture of abuse and toxic masculinity.

I recommend this documentary as a reminder that the police don't always get it right, and that behind even a seemingly accidental death, there is often a complex and upsetting story.

Did you see the programme? What did you think? Have you any other recommended shows?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time.
Paul
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.

This week's #TuesdayTip is a recommended watch. Code Blue: The Killing of June Fox-Roberts, available free on ITVX in the UK.
https://www.itv.com/watch/code-blue-the-killing-of-june-fox-roberts/2a5302
I'm recommending this two-part documentary because not only is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall documentary following a horrific and tragic murder investigation, but because it shows the police investigation beyond just the usual 'forensics and following leads' that we see in many of these shows.
I'm not going to give away too many details, in case you are unfamiliar with the investigation and want to follow it through to the end. But in summary, June Fox-Roberts, a 65-year-old grandmother, was found by her daughter dead in her home near Pontypridd, South Wales in November 2021. She had been dismembered and beheaded with an axe and an attempt had been made to clean up the scene. Her limbs and head were missing.
The documentary follows the police from the very start of the investigation, and includes lengthy interviews with June's family as they come to terms with the horrific circumstances of the killing. As a writer of crime fiction, I found it a useful reminder of the human cost behind such crimes. The investigation itself was pretty standard fare; it yielded little in the way of new procedural details for me to incorporate into future books, although others may find it more useful. That being said, if you are looking to build a realistic investigative team for your books, the various job titles for the different specialists are worth noting and it was interesting to see the meetings between detectives and forensic and search experts as they formulated their strategies before commencing their tasks. All too often in fiction you could be forgiven for believing that a body is found and within half-an-hour, the paper-suit brigade are traipsing around the crime scene hunting for clues.
You might not want to incorporate all the details of these meetings in your book, but references to them taking place adds authenticity. Since this occurred in November 2021, there were some interesting clues as to how the police, like the rest of society, were learning to live with covid; some officers were without masks, whilst others clearly felt more comfortable with them.
Most of all, the candid interviews with family and police gave me insight into the impact on all concerned. It was clear to see that for many of the officers involved, the scene that greeted them was something they could never unsee. June's daughter, who found the body, was clearly still in shock months later. She admitted that she hadn't really started grieving properly. June's other daughter had to endure cruel speculation on social media that she was the culprit and her interview was heart-rending.
As crime writers, it is important not to forget that there is a human story behind the crimes we portray. And that everyone involved, whether it be the victim, their loved-ones or the professionals that deal with the crime, will be impacted in some way.
Did you see the programme? What did you think? Have you any other recommended shows?
Feel free to comment here or on social media.
Until next time.
Paul
If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.