Programme Index

Discover 11,128,835 listings and 292,849 playable programmes from the BBC

Fair Cop: A Century of British Policewomen

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC FourLatest broadcast: on BBC Four

With 2015 marking the 100th anniversary of the first British policewoman being given the power of arrest, this film takes us through the remarkable history of 100 years of Britain's female police force. It explores the individual careers and ambitions of women police officers who, through their bravery and guile, were determined to succeed in a profession that never wanted them. It's a story of class, drive and sheer guts, entwined with a darker side of sexism, snobbery, intimidation and betrayal.

Includes interviews with former policewomen who pushed boundaries in the profession such as Sislin Fay Allen, Britain's first black policewoman, Cressida Dick, Britain's highest-ever-ranking policewoman, Alison Halford, who brought a high-profile sex discrimination charge against the police, and Jackie Malton, who provided the model for Prime Suspect's Jane Tennison. These interviews are combined with fascinating facts and illuminating stories from expert historians and current serving officers who have made their careers in the specialist areas of the mounted police and firearms units.

This is a story about ingenuity and determination as well as law and order. A Fair Cop is a hidden history of our society, depicting a battle of the sexes that masked a battle for power. Show less

Contributors

Production Company:
If Not Us Films
Executive Producer:
David Herman
Executive Producer:
Lindsay Shapero
Director:
Martina Hall
Producer:
Martina Hall
Production Manager:
Lynette Slight
Assistant Producer:
Molly Crossthwaite

About this data

This data is drawn from the data stream that informs BBC's iPlayer and Sounds. The information shows what was scheduled to be broadcast, meaning it was/is subject to change and may not be accurate. More