Filmed December 2021 to January 2022 in Brighton (Winter), Sussex on the night or graveyard shift of the Sussex Police, located on the south coast of England. The series so far just covers Sussex Police in Brighton during a 9 pm to 7 am shift on Friday and Saturday nights, with a lot of drunk partiers in the center of Brighton. About 20% of Brighton is LGBT and a very high percent of constables are LGBT, but that's not the focus of this series.
A number of the constables are very, very young, but that's the reality of policing and it's good to see them focus on the new constables, who have to evaluate situations instead of just arresting everyone. They don't come out of the womb with a warrant card and classroom training whether face to face or online, never covers every possible situation. Even university graduates need on the job and field training. Constables talk honestly which is refreshing and it's apparent that they care and want to help even those who are totally inebriated and combative.
Having worked in similar occupations, I appreciate their difficulties in dealing with many types of people in different crises. I know incidents are edited, but they appear to be well trained and supervised.
The series was renewed for a second season and season 2 uses the same documentary format as season 1. The Police and Crime Commissioner for East and West Sussex, who is the elected official who overseas the police and fire service, recently said that season 1 helped with police recruitment and she was very happy to see season 2. Viewers watch police not only dealing with those who are inebriated, but individuals who have threatened suicide, domestic abuse situations, drug crimes, weapons... It's typical policing, but they work the night/graveyard shift. It's a positive spin on policing, very funny at times and serious at others.
