Ten thousand revellers pack Brighton’s clubs and pubs every weekend, and as the sun goes down and the lights come up, the number of assaults, sexual violence, anti-social behaviour, drug-related incidents and hate crime goes through the roof – and for the Night Coppers of Brighton, policing this city after dark is one hell of a ride.
James Incledon, recent winner of the BAFTA Craft Award for Best Photography, Factual, creates a bold new look and feel for this brand-new 8 x 60′ series, which looks at the characterful cops of the night patrol as they tackle a huge range of incidents – from nightclub fights and drug arrests to the high stake crimes of arson, missing persons and mass brawls in the street.
But told through an amazing cast of officers, Night Coppers is as much about the cops as the crimes. Through actuality, CCTV and police bodycam we are shoulder to shoulder with the officers from dusk till dawn, seeing how they handle bloody nightclub bottlings, attempted suicides and sexual assaults and how they can take their toll on the person under the uniform, and how a certain type of black humour is sometimes the only way to get through the night.
Will Rowson, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 Documentaries, said: “Police access is a crowded space but Night Coppers is executed with a style, flair and bags of humour. It feels fresh and distinctive and while it doesn’t shy away from tough stories, it’s also had me laughing out loud many times.”
Sarah Spencer, Executive Producer for Blast! Films, said: “We set out to really get into the hearts and minds of the Brighton response officers at a time when confidence in the police is at an all-time low. We wanted this to be a character-led, visually distinctive, visceral series that captures what it’s really like to be policing the streets of Brighton at night, eschewing master interviews and commentary in favour of a more immersive approach.”
