Celebrities become police officers in new Channel 4 show Famous And Fighting Crime tonight.
The series of four episodes continues on TV on Monday, February 18 at 9PM on Channel 4 with Episode 2.
As British police forces are increasingly using volunteer officers in a wide range of roles, new series Famous and Fighting Crime will give these well-known rookies the chance to see what it’s really like to be on the sharp end of policing.
Those on the line up are TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing Katie Piper, Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, model & TV personality Penny Lancaster, Gogglebox’s Sandi Bogle and comic Marcus Brigstocke.
The famous crime fighters will go through the same sort of training as real-life Special Constables, before they hit the streets. with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, responding to real 999 calls, working in custody, and even CID, as well as taking part in high risk drugs raids and keeping order in rowdy city centres at the weekend.
Buddied up with serving officers, the new recruits will work shifts in units from traffic to public order, custody to patrol and burglary, as well as coming together to help police events such as a rowdy football match or keeping order on a big Saturday night shift.
The experience will challenge their views on crime and punishment and give them a provocative insight into life on the mean streets of modern Britain.
In tonight’s episode, Jamie takes part in a drugs raid on a £100,000 cannabis farm. Sandi emotionally opens up about a family tragedy after joining an armed unit called out to confront a man wielding a knife.
And when police are called to the home of an ex-soldier struggling with PTSD, Katie helps the team by drawing on her own personal trauma.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic said: “This is a great opportunity to showcase the valuable work of the Special Constabulary and give viewers a chance to see some of the excellent work our officers do day in day out, but which often remains hidden.
“The series promises to be entertaining and impactful, offering the viewer a unique view of the role volunteers play in policing their own communities, and I hope it will inspire many others to volunteer for their police force.”
There are four episodes of Famous & Fighting Crime which you can watch online and catch up with via All4.
