A police chase with speeds reaching 100mph on the M1 launches the first episode of Nottinghamshire Police on Interceptors tonight (9 November 2020).
In the programme, viewers can see firearms sergeant James Carrington and constable Dan Machin taking on a suspected stolen vehicle in a dramatic police chase which resulted in tactical contact and a man being arrested on 4 January 2020.
PS Carrington said the incident definitely highlights the exciting side of the job: “I’ve been on the firearms unit for 15 years so a job like that is not unusual but there is always a natural adrenaline rush and it’s probably one of the main reasons I joined the force; to take part in something incredibly challenging and incredibly rewarding where your efforts result in catching the bad guy at the end.”
A 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing himself to be carried in a vehicle that was taken without the owner’s consent and then being driven dangerously in connection to the incident. He was given a 12 month supervision order on 1 September 2020.
The show then goes on to capture a drugs warrant where £100,000 of cocaine was found, officers dealing with a nitrous oxide (laughing gas) incident as well as collision involving a drink driver.
Sergeant Carrington, who emerges as one of the shining stars of the show, said being involved with Interceptors has been an exciting experience: “I did jump at the opportunity to be involved, it seemed like such a great chance to showcase what we do and what working for the force is all about.
“I am really proud of my job and think this is a great way to put that out there and show my family and friends what my role is really about. It was really great to be involved with a programme which is so renowned and so heavily watched.”
Interceptors aims to highlight the job of a police officer on the front line and there’ll be three series in total focusing on Nottinghamshire Police.The camera crew are at the forefront of the action predominantly accompanying the force’s operational support unit. They also spend time with other areas of the force including the knife crime and reacher teams.
The programme also displays the human side to policing and captures some of the humour between the officers. In one clip, viewers can see officers joking about how they ‘got off lightly’ having only endured a minor scrape on the police car compared to the entire bumper being crushed in on an offending vehicle.
PS Carrington says the force is full of personalities and light-relief is important to them: “Members of the public won’t always be aware of all of the things we see; the devastation, the trauma so I think we develop this comradery and this light-hearted approach as a healthy release mechanism.
“I think it’s important to have that banter with colleagues which helps you deal with things and avoid taking the more upsetting side of the job home with us. It’s a way of managing what we see and what we experience.”
Sergeant Carrington will be watching tonight alongside his wife, his twin babies (pictured) and three other children.
The Interceptors show will be aired every Monday on Channel 5 at 8pm.