Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 3

Episode 3 of 7

A specialist unit tries to tackle moped crime, and at the Notting Hill carnival police introduce a controversial tactic.

A young woman is violently mugged for her phone and handbag by two moped thieves, and is rushed to hospital in a critical condition. The investigation is handed to DI Steve Brownlee who runs a specialist team of detectives tracking down the capital鈥檚 most violent and prolific moped criminals. On CCTV they identify two men using the victim's stolen bank card 15 minutes after the attack, but tracking the men down proves more difficult for the detectives.

Meanwhile, PCs Andy Reeder and Allan Baker-Perkins are part of a response team that patrol London鈥檚 hotspots for moped crime. Determined to reduce the number of crime,s the unit use a controversial technique called tactical contact. They pursue a man on a moped who they believe has stolen some handbags, and when the rider refuses to stop, the team chase him, knock him off his bike and wrestle him to the ground.

Knife crime is a major concern for the Met鈥檚 senior command team overseeing the 2018 Notting Hill carnival. For the first time in the carnival鈥檚 50-year history, the Met authorise a section 60 for the entire duration of the event, giving them the powers to stop and search anyone for weapons or drugs without reasonable grounds. In the previous year there were four serious stabbings at the carnival, and two years before there were 12 stabbings. With huge crowds of half a million wanting to enjoy the carnival, it鈥檚 a tricky balancing act for gold commander Dave Musker, whose job is to keep the huge carnival crowds safe.

58 minutes

Last on

Mon 21 Oct 2019 22:35

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Lennie James
Executive Producer Shona Thompson
Series Producer Catey Sexton

Broadcasts

  • Thu 17 Oct 2019 21:00
  • Mon 21 Oct 2019 22:35

Watch additional interviews with senior officers and experts

Find out more about the challenges and future of policing.

The Met Tackles Sensitive Taboos

Every so often a fly on the wall documentary highlights a thorny issue...