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forensicated · 8 days ago

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05x14 - Cock Up

TW: Racism and men being men of the 80's...!

Reg is dressed in a full referee kit whilst he practises his discipline in the mirror. He pretends to book Bryan Robson (at the time, Robson played for Manchester United and England.) He's the referee for the Inter School's five-a-side challenge which is being supported by Sun Hill as part of a Youth And Communities initiative of Brownlow's.

Bob is amused to find him threatening his reflection with a red card. Alec tells Bob that Reg was spouting off about the Police being society's referee in the canteen. Bob claims Reg is only the referee because he's the only one they know who had his own kit.

Brownlow, Yorkie, Tony and Taffy are also in attendance. Charles is dressed in full uniform for his speech and picture opportunity. Bob's youngest son, Danny, is playing for Medway Comprehensive. Brownlow tell the uniformed officers that it was good of them to volunteer to support the cause. Taffy scoffs as he walks off. "Volunteer? More like pressganged!" Alec can only stay for half an hour because he's promised his wife that he'll put up shelves for her. "You've got more shelves than anyone I know!" Bob laughs. Taffy playfully mocks him for being under the thumb. Alec wouldn't have it any other way. [Gif is Taffy's reaction to Brownlow's speech.]

Burnside is not happy about 'a bunch of louts kicking a bag of wind' meaning that the station has ground to a halt. Tosh claims it's all public relations but Burnside isn't appeased. He says there's a crime committed in London every 7 seconds and public relations will only improve when the police's record for catching criminals does.

At full time, Danny Cryer's team have lost and their supposed top scorer was off his form. As if it couldn't get any worse, Bob is left with the thought of Reg going off to the changing room to rub liniment into his calves. Bob and Reg overhear the Medway Comp boys having a row in the changing room and stop the boys fighting. Danny tells his dad that it was just an argument and not to worry about it but Bob won't let it drop as he heard Danny accuse the so called star player of being on drugs.

Bob takes 'the loud whisper' of information to Derek once he returns to the station. He admits Danny doesn't want to grass on his friend but if there's a chance that cannabis or worse is being dealt in the school then he can't let it drop. His main suspect, Colin Mellor, was clean last time he was raided by the Drug Squad. Derek invites Frank into the chat. Frank knows Mellor as a 'cocky scumbag who isn't known for keeping a low profile.' He agrees with Bob that it's likely he is supplying the drugs at Bob's son's school. He's angry that Mellor got off last time, claiming the Drug Squad cocked up and he had prior notice. Derek reminds them they need evidence. Frank says he'll put the shop under surveillance. Derek promises him he can use who he like from Uniform - just get Mellor and play it by the book.

Alistair sits outside the shop, hidden from view in one of those tents that workmen used to use on the streets. He's really not happy!

He documents Albert Johnson leaving Mellor's shop and meets Frank in a nearby café to update him. Alistair tells him that Johnson was nicked for dealing when he was at West End Central approx 18 months ago.

Reg reads the report of the football match out to the boys, oblivious to the fact they're laughing at him. He's genuinely proud and wants to send a copy of the article to his mother. He doesn't get what's funny.

Frank takes surveillance pictures to Reg for him to use his collator skills to locate the people in them. Reg recognises one as a pupil from Medway Comp who was cautioned a few months ago for possession of cannabis. He does however let himself down however by saying that 'could make a serious mistake with her!' She's 16, Reg! (oh the 80's!). Alistair reports that the girl frequently hangs around the shop during lunchtimes with different friends each time.

Frank arranges to arrest the girl as an inning to Mellor to avoid getting their fingers burnt again should he get wind of what they're planning. Frank and Derek lead a joint uniform and CID briefing to update everyone on Mellor. They're pinning their hopes on the girl having drugs on her - and also informing on Mellor.

Assorted officers get into place outside Mellor's shop and watch him unload a cash and carry delivery. Taffy sits in a lady's house observing Medway Comp's playground and Yorkie and June sit in a van ready to arrest the girl. This time it's Malcolm and Pete sat in the little tent (with Pete accusing Yorkie of brownnosing Bob)

The girls soon appear and Taffy follows them to the shops. June spots Johnson approaching the store too and Yorkie calls it through to Frank. The girls go inside the shop and are out within seconds, heading up the High Street. June spots a problem - a group of teenage boys from Medway School are approaching the girls and calling out to them. Yorkie tries to tell Frank that there's a problem, but Frank won't listen - he orders them to move in and arrest the girls.

With no choice they get out and identify themselves as police officers (but only verbally - no showing of warrant cards) and ask the girls to step into the van. The boys gallantly step in and tell them to let go of the girls, telling Yorkie and June to show them their Warrant Cards if they're really police. June says they don't have to show them to them. Frank orders Pete and Malcolm to go intervene. Pete literally ends up picking one young girl up to get her into the van as the boys fight against them to get them to let them go. One of the boys snaps 'Coconut' at Malcolm and tells him he's not a police officer. STILL none of the officers have shown any warrant cards to calm the situation down. "Aren't I?" Malcolm scoffs, grabbing him and pushing him into the van along with his friend who protests it. Honestly - they know the scene needs clearing quickly with minimal fuss. It could have been sorted a lot sooner and it shows some usually intelligent officers acting very stupidly!

Johnson is observed watching the van by Burnside who urges the officers to drive off. Thankfully they do but it's not enough, he's rattled and runs to tell Mellor. Bob reports they've been sussed so Frank yells at everyone to get in the shop before they lose potential evidence. The PC is ineffectual at breaking through the shop doors with a sledgehammer so Frank literally snatches it and starts slamming it into the doors himself.

At the station the four teenagers are brought in with the boys still kicking off. Pete pushes one of them into a wall and growls at him to behave. The other shouts at Tom that he'll have them for assault. The girls protest their innocence and claim they haven't got any drugs on them. Tom tells them that they're going to be strip searched and June drag the first girl - the main target - off. The second is obviously quieter and more nervous. She seems a little hesitant of her date of birth too when Tom asks for it.

Mellor is amused as Frank oversees the shop being searched. He claims he's going to see Frank walking the beat after messing up again. Frank snaps at him and sends Alistair out to check his car over.

Viv tells the younger and more nervous girl to 'put whatever she has on the side and just give them a statement'. She doesn't understand and insists she still hasn't got drugs on her. She digs into her pockets and brings out the contents - cigarettes. "We were buying fags, that's all, I swear!" Viv doesn't believe her and orders her to undress. The girls father reports to the front station and is shown through by Tony. He's obviously furious and asks Tom what the hell he thinks he's doing. Tom tells him why his daughter was arrested and that she's being strip searched. Her father is horrified and claims that they need his consent for that. Tom starts to say that his daughter is over the age of consent - but is interrupted. The girl is only 15.

In the FME's room the girl tearfully redresses. "I told you!" Viv snaps at her to be quiet because they know she had been buying dope from Mellor. She protests her innocence again. June knocks on the door and asks Viv if she's found anything - both girls are clean.

Mellor and Johnson continue to enjoy Frank's officers finding nothing in the search. Johnson tells Frank he's going to report him for breeching his civil liberties. "You try stirring things up for me sunshine, you step on the cracks in the pavement and I'll have you inside." Mellor gloats that he has a number of charges he can take up against Frank. Frank almost assaults him with Alistair stepping in and telling him to leave it.

June and Viv feels awful for what has happened to the young girls, telling Pete that the younger of the two lied abut her age because she thought she'd been arrested for buying cigarettes. Pete is unrepentant, telling June it'll teach her for lying. June worries that Brownlow is going to make an example of them because the head teacher has also been on as well as the girls father shouting blue murder. Viv admits that somewhere along the line they were all a bit out of order. "We were all acting under orders!" Pete reminds her.

"It's how you carry the orders out that counts, not who gives them." Yorkie glares at Pete who mocks him for being a suck up to the bosses.

"I was watching you, Ramsey! Don't forget that!"

In CID Frank is fuming about Mellor and claims that in 20 minutes of them leaving he'll be set back up again. He wants Tosh involved too and claims they'll watch him for as long as they need to. Alistair reminds him that there's no way the bosses will allow that. Tosh has to tell him that Derek wants to see him in his office - NOW!

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