New series on policing the UK’s biggest beat coming soon to BBC Scotland and BBC Two
Delving inside the UK’s biggest police beat, insightful documentary series, Highland Cops, follows the work of Police Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Division.
The five-part documentary series is a co-commission between BBC Scotland and BBC Two and produced by Firecrest Films, the award-winning team behind the acclaimed Murder Case series.
Covering 12,000 square miles of lochs, glens, islands and mountains, Police Scotland’s Highlands and Islands division is like no other in the UK.
Across the series Highland Cops discovers what it takes to patrol the beat and keep the peace in the most beautiful – and challenging places – in Britain and highlights how cutting-edge crime fighting works alongside old-school rural policing, tackling 21st century problems that threaten traditional ways of life.
From the crofts on Hebridean Islands to the inner-city estates of Inverness; protecting endangered species to searching for people missing in the wilds; providing policing for royals visiting the Isle of Skye to attending fatal road traffic accidents, these officers go to extremes; keeping people safe in remote communities and Britain’s most northerly city.
Each week, Highland Cops explores the work of these detectives and showcases the skills of Wildlife Officers, Dog Handlers, CID, community police officers and more.
Highland Cops debuts on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer weekly, followed by BBC Two next month (April 2023).
BBC Scotland Commissioning Executive, David Harron, says:
“The series shows a huge variety of cases from drugs busts and assaults in urban centres as well as wildlife and other crimes which are particular to this spectacular beat.”
BBC Two Commissioning Executive, Tom Coveney, adds:
“Across some of the UK’s most breath-taking and challenging landscapes, the work of the Highlands and Islands Police is dramatic and inspiring in equal measure.”
Vari Innes, Executive Producer, Firecrest Films, says:
“We’re delighted to be bringing Highland Cops to air.
“From missing hikers in the wilderness to county lines drugs busts in the inner city, this series sheds light on what it takes to police the biggest and most unique beat in the country.”
Highland Cops is a Firecrest Films production for BBC Scotland.
The Executive Producers are David Harron for BBC Scotland, Tom Coveney for BBC Two and Iain Scollay and Vari Innes for Firecrest Films.
The series is produced by Andrew Abbott and the Series Director is Dominick French.
Highland Cops is the latest co-commission from BBC Scotland and BBC Two.
It is part of the BBC’s co-commissioning model which aims to deliver high quality content from across the UK and increase portrayal for audiences.
Recent successes include the award winning titles Guilt, Murder Case and Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming.