Liam Kelly: Compelling ‘Peelers’ tv series a winner

The Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland Liam Kelly says the BBC series ‘Peelers: The PSNI - for Real’ has given a long-overdue perspective of what it’s really like to be a police officer today.

Mr Kelly said the Stephen Nolan-produced six-part series showed just what it was like to police tense, challenging and dangerous situations on our streets.

Mr Kelly said: ‘I was given a preview of the programmes. Taken together, they make up a riveting, raw, unscripted insight into our police service and makes for a compelling piece of factual television.

“This is not ‘Blue Lights’ – commendable though it is as a police drama – but the real thing. The viewers will get a front row seat to real incidents as they unfold. They will see officers’ efforts as they deal with a whole range of emergency calls including a road accident, drug abuse, re-location of an individual in the face of a hostile crowd and arresting uncooperative and often violent offenders.

“It is both compelling and absorbing and I hope it will provide some insight and understanding of the reality of policing and the often invidious positions our officers face every single day. No programme would be possible without the full engagement and support of the seven officers who are front and centre in the programmes.

“The seven -  Tom, Anna, Adam, Nigel, Jade, Dave and Perri – showed great courage in their front-facing interviews and their willingness to be featured before, during and after some of the challenging situations they had to deal with on duty.

“Our colleagues showed us in the best possible light. They exercised discretion, restraint, empathy, sensitivity and, when it was required, a proportionate and no-nonsense response when dealing with aggressive, uncooperative assailants. The series also shows the persons behind the uniform and creatively captures the human emotions as they navigate both their professional and personal lives.

“The seven are owed a deep debt of gratitude for setting aside their anonymity and allowing themselves to be featured. They did an outstanding job.

“This will make for edgy television and I have no doubt but that it will attract a huge viewing audience. Stephen Nolan is to be congratulated for investing his time in this series and turning it into what should be award-winning television.”