List of The Bill characters (A–D)
This is a list of characters from the police procedural British television series, The Bill. The fictional characters displayed here are ordered alphabetically by character surname. For a full list of current characters ordered by rank, see list of The Bill characters. The characters are all police officers or civil support staff operating from the fictional Sun Hill Police Station within the London borough of Canley, London.
A
Timothy Able
| Timothy Able | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Make My Day (27 June 1989) |
| Last appearance | Something Special (1 March 1990) |
| Portrayed by | Mark Haddigan |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Timothy Able never settled into life at Sun Hill. Born in Bromley, he was the youngest of three brothers, and had an ambition to be a car mechanic. His mother worked in a sportswear shop, and his father as a train driver. While at Sun Hill, Able excelled at the physical side of the job, but struggled when the situation required him to take statements and conduct interviews. This was noticed by Inspector Christine Frazer, who later sent him to undergo additional training in both. At the recommendation of Sergeant Bob Cryer, who felt Able had no sense of purpose, Able felt he had little choice other than to resign.
June Ackland
| June Ackland | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Woodentop (16 August 1983) |
| Last appearance | Episode #489 (8 March 2007) |
| Portrayed by | Trudie Goodwin |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable (1983–96) Police Sergeant (1996–2007) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Spouse | Jim Carver (2004–2005) Rod Jessop (2007–present) |
| Children | the real Gabriel Kent |
Police Constable later Police Sergeant June Ackland was already part of the furniture at Sun Hill when she took probationary constable Jim Carver under her wing on his first day. Although it has never been revealed how long Ackland had been at Sun Hill before the arrival of PC Carver, it appears that she had been posted there for some considerable time. She reveals in Episode 486 that she was at Sun Hill for half her life so it would be around 30 years.
Wray Affair and Promotion
In 1990, Ackland had an affair with DCI Gordon Wray. When Wray's wife found out, she told DAC Hicks and Wray was hastily transferred. Ackland soon developed into a steadfast and dependable officer, who was firm in her belief that there is little difference between a male and female officer. She was an instinctive police officer and was rewarded for being able to get on easily with people from different walks of life. She was regarded by Chief Supt. Brownlow as a natural leader.
In 1995, Ackland finds herself at the centre of a murder attempt on her life. Her flat is broken into, set on fire and her cat killed, while an investigation into her own actions leads to some in the police station ostracising her. In the end, she no longer knows exactly who are her friends and who are merely pretending to be. She was nearly the victim of a crazed gunman (played by Bill Ward) who was attempting to exact revenge – but DS Jo Morgan became the victim instead. Ackland is promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1996 after being a constable for many years. A party thrown in her honour by PC Dave Quinnan is ruined by her handbag being stolen by a dodgy taxi driver and she misses out on the meal in her honour. There are few at Sun Hill who do not believe her promotion is fully justified. Her time as Sergeant becomes more and more linked with Jim Carver. Carver had been a Detective Constable with C.I.D. for many years, but finds himself moved back to uniform under the rules governing tenure at the time, when no-one is allowed to remain in a single position for more than ten years without having been approved for promotion. Carver takes the move personally, and as his Sergeant it is up to Ackland to remind him that he was not part of C.I.D. anymore. Uniform requires a team approach, and Carver's attempts to remain a 'lone ranger' are not acceptable. Ackland reminds him of his first day on the beat back in 1983, when she asked him if he would ever want to join the detective branch: his response, she reminds him, is that he had no interest and that uniform division was where he wanted to be.
C.S.U and First Carver Relationship
Despite her attempts, Carver begins drinking heavily. After a stint in rehab he returns to the station sober, but shaky. Ackland finds herself becoming Jim's guiding light, the one thing that keeps him on the straight and narrow. One day during a riot situation he recklessly and against orders charges into a warehouse where June is being held hostage by a group of youths. The thought that she may come to harm leads him to nearly throttle the young offender. June and Jim continue to grow closer. Sharing a kiss, they realise that they have taken it too far and chose not to follow up. When June becomes the operational head of the new Community Safety Unit at Sun Hill, Jim is quick to be transferred over. Although they keep their feelings bottled up, they support each other. June is officially Jim's lifeline, but she is shattered when he marries Marie Graham in 2003, confirming their engagement while June was on holiday. All her feelings explode to the surface, and when she pushes a domestic abuse victim too far, the woman hangs herself. After an official complaint by the victim's husband, and feeling she is losing respect in C.S.U, June transfers back to uniform.
Marie and Gabriel Abuse, Second Carver Relationship
On the day of her marriage to Jim, Marie is arrested for assaulting a youth vandalizing the grave of her late daughter, Sonia, and June discovers Marie was sectioned, something she failed to share with Jim. Despite trying to keep it from Jim, events take a turn when Jim and PC Polly Page investigate a sudden death and get locked in an old air raid shelter by the victim's scared grandson. When June and PC Tony Stamp go to rescue Jim and Polly, they are also locked in with their old friends. Tensions rise over past indiscretions such as Tony's frustration over how Jim handled an allegation against him of child abuse, and June's anger that Jim said he couldn't marry anyone then got engaged to Marie while June was away. Jim learns all on Marie's past from an angry June, and Marie holds a grudge against her husband's ex-girlfriend, when (after the group are rescued) Jim confronts Marie on her past. When Marie becomes an alcoholic, she starts verbally and physically trying to attack June on multiple occasions. After a harsh dispute with Marie and the jailing of close friend Polly for murder, June seeks solace in mature probationary PC Gabriel Kent. When she confides in Gabriel that Marie has been causing trouble, Gabriel demands Jim ends it. Encountering the Carvers in the midst of a domestic dispute, Gabriel knocks out Marie in a struggle before smacking Jim with a vodka bottle. Despite Marie launching a counter-allegation against Gabriel, Jim finally admits to his colleagues that Marie has abusing him and divorces her, however June ignores his apologies and starts a relationship with Gabriel. When Inspector Gina Gold and Sergeant Dale Smith investigate Gabriel for the assault on Jim, they uncover his birth certificate, showing that he was born as Robert Ackland. June is unaware of this for weeks until Jim finds the birth certificate and confronts her; when June demands an explanation from Gabriel, he confesses he is her son and committed incest to punish her, but he later admits he is actually Gabriel's brother David. Revealing he stole his adoptive brother's identity, Kent says he joined as revenge for her "inflicting" Gabriel on his family, but he buys her silence by giving her the real Gabriel's address. In mid-2004, June is seriously injured when she is accidentally hit by Tony whilst he was driving the Area Car. Horrified he could lose June for good, Jim tells her that despite everything, he loves her. Despite initially rejecting him, when Jim officially proposes, she accepts and marries him 21 years to the day of their first shift together. When the marriage settles, June decides to retire... until Jim drops the bombshell that he is £63,000 in debt. Agreeing to settle his debts, June leaves Jim and retires. A few months later, June is forced back to work after financially struggling for her bailout for Carver. She is shocked to learn on her return that Marie died a few days earlier, and an emotional Jim breaks down when he comes face to face with June again. Fed up of Jim's attempts to win her back, June embarks on a relationship with PC Roger Valentine. When a van crashes into the station and explodes, killing three including Jim's best friend Ken, he receives a further blow when he catches June and Roger in an embrace. After a blazing row, June comes around to the idea of making up with Jim, but he leaves her heartbroken when he tells her she's better off without him. After working constantly for 21 years and being close friends & lovers for a majority of that time, Jim walks out of a devastated June's life.
Gabriel Exposure, Second Engagement and Retirement
After the exit of Jim, June tries to focus on her career and rebuilding morale after the station fire. Whilst investigating a vandalism call, June is raped by a 14-year-old boy, Ross Trescott. She later admits to PC Sheelagh Murphy that she was also raped as a teen, leading to her pregnancy. Wanting to see justice done, June is left deflated when Trescott pleads guilty, meaning the case won't go to trial. On the day of Sun Hill's 50th anniversary, a man calling himself Gabriel Kent shows up at the station asking to see June, but adoptive brother David (and his alter ego) gets there first to dissuade him. Realizing his brother has stolen his identity, the real Gabriel tries to expose him, only to be caught up and later shot as part of a siege at the station. Despite warning his brother to keep his mouth shut, June asks PC Laura Bryant to check CCTV and get a shot of the "unidentified shooting victim". Feeling guilty at knowing he called himself Gabriel Kent, Laura goes to Sergeant Dale Smith, who tells her that Gabriel Kent's birth name is Robert Ackland. When they tell June the shooting victim might be her son, she positively identifies him, and confirms PC Kent is an impostor. When PC Kent tries turning off the real Gabriel's life support machine, Smith arranges an arrest team, hoping he can nail his adversary for attempted murder. Taking June hostage on the roof of a block of flats, Kent reveals all to June before overpowering Smithy. With nowhere left to run, Kent jumps off the roof to his death. At the coroner's inquest into PC Kent's death, June fails to persuade the real Gabriel to give her another chance, but he later laments and they make amends. June takes leave and joins him in America with his family.
In early 2006, June became embroiled in an anti-social behaviour outbreak and started a project to assist local school headteacher Rod Jessop. As the pair worked together, June and Rod became close and started a relationship. After first moving in with Rod, he proposes, but she is reluctant. After Rod is severely injured in a hit and run, June realizes what he means to her and accepts his proposal. After working together again on a tough case of a tearaway and an escaped convict suspected of stabbing a school bully, the escaped con a friend of the boy's deceased father, June realizes she can't do enough and suggests she & Rod take early retirement. Rather than retiring quietly, June follows up an allegation of corruption inside the sale of the Aldbourne, a local council estate. When it looks like there could be some substance to the allegations, June finds a crucial piece of evidence, only to be run off the road taking it back to the station. Things take an even bigger twist when June finds an email from DAC Georgia Hobbs promising the estate developer the land below Sun Hill, despite rumors of a station closure not being confirmed. Taking the allegations to Superintendent John Heaton, June is furious when he refuses to take action, knowing that he and Hobbs are in a relationship. Just as she gets the evidence to arrest the crooked developer, she threatens Heaton in front of Hobbs that she'll go to the DPS herself if need be, only for them to show up and arrest her after Heaton forced a taped confession from Hobbs without her realizing. As they conclude, Heaton informs June that he has a meeting with an ex-Sun Hill officer on secondment from Manchester: now-DS Jim Carver. Stunned that he just happened to show up on her last day, she is even less impressed when she finds out that not only did he tell Tony he was coming and not her, but that they will be paired together to trap a drug dealer. When they conduct a failed raid to nail him, June and Jim find themselves abducted and caught up in a drug deal shootout that ends up with a buyer being shot dead. During their captivity, Jim tells June he has the money to repay his debt to her, and that he still loves her. While emotions run high in the warehouse where they're being held, June eventually decides to go with Rod and leaves Jim heartbroken.
When she departed, actress Trudie Goodwin was the last original character to leave, after 23 years in the show.[1][2]
Sally Armstrong
| Sally Armstrong | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Cop Killer: Part 1 (5 July 2007) |
| Last appearance | Unforgiven (17 December 2009) |
| Portrayed by | Ali Bastian |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Sally Armstrong arrived at Sun Hill in July 2007 after completing her probationary period and being transferred from Harringay. She previously had a desk job at a telemarketing firm but realised it was not for her. She joined the police force because she wanted a physically demanding job that would also give her a challenge in life and a good salary. She soon realised that being a police officer was her ideal job.
Sally arrives at Sun Hill on the same day as probationer PC Billy Rowan. Whilst investigating a break-in with Billy, Sergeant Nikki Wright and PC Emma Keane, Armstrong and Keane worry that they cannot contact Rowan or Wright, so they call for backup. After backup arrives it is discovered that Rowan's throat had been slashed, and while Armstrong is left traumatised, she assures Inspector Gina Gold that she will be back at work the next day and fights to nail Rowan's killer. This case led to Armstrong and Keane becoming best friends.
In early 2008, Armstrong became part of a clique of herself, Sergeant Callum Stone and PCs Benjamin Gayle & Will Fletcher. When justice wasn't served, they found alternative ways, one instance of which was having a rapist assaulted after he got off the charge by providing evidence in another case. When Keane tried to get in with the group, she ended up falling out with Armstrong. On what proved to be her last day at Sun Hill, Keane attended a double bombing, along with Armstrong, that killed eight people on a busy street. During the incident, a man claimed to be a doctor to grope victims, and Stone told Armstrong & Keane that he wanted to deal with the suspect. Clashing over insinuations that Stone was bent, Keane split from Armstrong to conduct her own search, tracking the suspect down with Stone. When he attempted to force a confession, Keane told Stone she thought he was bent, storming off. Finding a building on fire, she received a call from DCI Jack Meadows, stating that another bomb was due to go off. Evacuating the surrounding buildings, a bomb went off. Armstrong and Stone race to the scene, but Keane was already dead, devastating both. Stone blamed himself for Keane being alone, while Armstrong regretted their argument before Keane died.
Soon after the bombings, Armstrong became too attached to victims of crime. The first instance was a mother who lost a son then had an argument with her long-lost daughter. When the woman thinks she has lost her daughter again, she drives her car into the River Thames. Diving in against the wishes of Inspector Gold, Armstrong and Stone rescued the woman, but Armstrong received a reprimand from Gold. A few weeks later, she became too close to a woman who claimed to have been raped, and she went as far stopping the demolition of a block of flats. When the woman ran at the building as the charges were set, Armstrong tried to stop her, and both were caught in part of the rubble. Despite surviving, Armstrong received another reprimand from Gold. After clashing with DCs Stevie Moss and Jo Masters over the interview of the rape suspect, Armstrong was sent home by Gold, but elected to go clubbing with Gayle instead. After drunkenly kissing him, she runs away embarrassed, but gets into her car and crashes it. The clique of Stone, Gayle and Fletcher link up one last time to save her career and cover the crash up, and Stone warns her that he won't bail her out again.
Armstrong left Sun Hill without explanation in December 2009.
Luke Ashton
| Luke Ashton | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Potential For Conflict (9 December 1997) |
| Last appearance | Episode #122 (18 June 2003) |
| Portrayed by | Scott Neal |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Spouse | PC Kerry Young (2002-2003) |
Police Constable Luke Ashton first arrived at Sun Hill in December 1997, fresh out of Hendon and being puppy walked by PC Tony Stamp. As a probationer, he was a likeable lad, excited about starting work but with little idea of what he'd let himself in for. He found his feet eventually but along the way took several dents to his confidence and began to doubt his suitability for the job. On one of his first shifts, he tried in vain to tempt a suicidal man down from a roof, but felt devastated when he failed to prevent him from jumping to his death. After his initially bumpy ride, Ashton rediscovered his enthusiasm for the job but further mistakes and miscalculations led to his puppy walking period being extended. Despite this, he settled in and became an accepted and likeable member of the relief - although never really being allowed to forget he was the baby of the team. Luke's first tenure only lasted two years, after he left Sun Hill in 1999 after clashing immediately with new PC Dale Smith on his arrival at the station in 1999. Relations between the two became strained when Smith was attacked and Ashton arrived on the scene, too late to assist and with Smith accusing Ashton of cowardice. Ashton became determined to salvage his reputation, but after failing to prevent an ex-crack addict kill his daughter and himself, he left the Police Force, having decided he was not cut out for it.
Following his backpacking experience to Sudan he later returned in 2002, to prove he could succeed where he failed before. He came back a more mature, stronger personality with greater self-esteem and confidence in his own abilities and judgement. His colleagues found him far less susceptible to wind-ups and able to take dangerous situations in his stride. In many ways, he saw his return to Sun Hill as a chance to wipe the slate clean. He soon fell for fellow officer, Kerry Young. As their romance built, they decided to marry. However, it is revealed that Luke is secretly gay and trying to keep this a secret from the rest of the relief. While at Sun Hill, he shares a kiss with Sergeant Craig Gilmore, and the day before he is due to marry Kerry, he ends up in bed with Craig. On the morning of the wedding, the two men are lying in bed together, while the wedding guests are waiting. Gina Gold goes looking for Luke and walks in on the two men. Despite this, the wedding goes ahead, and Kerry soon falls pregnant. During her pregnancy she discovers Luke is gay and decides to have a termination, but he changes her mind. However, Kerry later suffers a miscarriage and ends their marriage. She later humiliates Luke by sleeping with his nemesis Smithy, now back at Sun Hill as a Sergeant, before outing him to the relief. When Luke puts his own life at risk facing down an armed robber, and Kerry realizes during the ordeal that she still loves him. Despite this, Luke survives the siege as the gun backfires instead of hitting him. After a heart to heart with Kerry, he realizes the best thing he can do is leave Sun Hill, and Kerry is left heartbroken.
Nick Austin
| Nick Austin | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Double Jeopardy, Part 1 (6 January 2005) |
| Last appearance | The Screw, Part 2 (20 October 2005) |
| Portrayed by | Steve Toussaint |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Nurse |
Nick Austin arrived on The Bill in early 2005 as a potential love interest for PC Yvonne Hemmingway. A nurse at St. Hugh's hospital, Austin was first seen assisting uniform police during a protest at the hospital. He chose the middle of the incident to ask Hemmingway out, however he was quickly called away before she could answer. The pair eventually found a chance to get out on a few dates, however the job continued getting in the way. Austin was the first on scene when bipolar station cleaner Margaret Barnes was admitted to hospital with self-inflicted stab wounds. Austin caught on to the amount of blood Barnes had on her couldn't have been enough to be her own, alerting the Sun Hill team she had stabbed someone else, later revealed to be DC Terry Perkins. Austin was on hand yet again when Hemmingway came into hospital with young theft suspect Lee Thomas, who had been hit on the head with an ASP whilst trying to assault Hemmingway. When Thomas later died, Austin was stunned by the events and tried to keep Hemmingway away from Thomas' grieving mother, however Hemmingway tried to apologise and ended up shouting at her. Austin began avoiding Hemmingway, however the pair came into contact when Hemmingway attended a shooting involving a friend of Austin's. Austin admitted the death of Thomas made him think differently of her, having seen a friend beaten savagely by police whilst he was in college, claiming it was institutional racism against a black suspect. Things took another twist when Austin was seen on CCTV stealing evidence from the shooting victim's clothing, later revealed to be bullet shell-casings. Austin was arrested by his former lover for perverting the course of justice. When he helped Hemmingway and DS Samantha Nixon to get the shooting victim to confess to her part in her own shooting and a conspiracy to murder, Nixon told Austin that she'd recommend the charges against him are dropped. Despite recent events, and a pending inquiry by his bosses, Austin asks Hemmingway to make a go of their relationship again; Hemmingway decided not to pursue the relationship and Austin was not seen from again. It is unknown if he kept his job as a nurse after his arrest for tampering with evidence.
B
Tom Baker
| Tom Baker | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | A Fresh Start (30 May 1990) |
| Last appearance | Home and Away (16 February 2001) |
| Portrayed by | Victor Gallucci |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Constable Tom Baker was one of the show's longest running non-prominent detectives. Although only having ten speaking appearances in ten episodes over the course of eleven years, Baker was often seen in the CID office and was good friends with Jim Carver, Danny Glaze and Mickey Webb. Baker arrived at Sun Hill after transferring in the midst of a corruption scandal from Barton Street. Although his last official credited appearance was in February 2001, Baker continued to appear in the series until late 2002. It is unknown when or how he left Sun Hill.
Jacob Banks
| Jacob Banks | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | R.I.P P.I. (23/4/08) |
| Last appearance | Respect: Part 2 (31/08/10) |
| Portrayed by | Patrick Robinson |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Spouse | Naomi Woods |
Detective Constable Jacob Banks, also known as Banksy, arrives at Sun Hill in April 2008, and is soon thrown in at the deep end when he investigates the murder of a private detective on first day. Upon his arrival, Banks states that he is a cop on a mission. After changing careers in his mid-30s, he realises that he has a lot of ground to cover, starting so late in the police service. After training at Hendon and serving two years on the beat as a PC, he spent his first tenure as a DC at Barton Street. Although not highly motivated by his job, Banks shows that he is a good copper, with great interpersonal skills. He is often tipped to become the next DI within a couple of years. Banks is married to Naomi Woods, a high-flying barrister, who often provides him with information that he shouldn't always know about. Naomi is very ambitious in her career, and as a consequence, doesn't spend much time at home. Formerly a teacher, Banks claims that he knows how to handle people. Detective Inspector Sam Nixon once described him as being "just as comfortable talking to a bank manager as talking to a kid on the street". Banks claimed that the years he spent in the classroom as a teacher made him an expert on body language, and that it has become easy for him to sniff out a liar or a bully from a mile off.
Ian Barratt
| Ian Barratt | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #329 (21/7/05) |
| Last appearance | Episode #361 (3/11/05) |
| Portrayed by | John McArdle |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Chief Superintendent |
| Occupation | Borough Commander |
| Spouse | Rochelle Barratt |
Chief Superintendent later Borough Commander Ian Barratt became the Borough Commander of Canley in July 2005, taking over from Louise Campbell. A friend of Superintendent Adam Okaro, he was mentioned as the Superintendent of Spicer St Station, where he was PC Dan Casper's boss. It was there that Casper began an affair with Barratt's wife Rochelle. Casper was close to being busted and became victim of an anonymous blackmailer, later revealed to be Ian. Barratt ruffled feathers when he made Okaro 'resign', however Inspector Gina Gold discovered he was actually undercover to catch an old friend out as a drug kingpin. Barratt arranged a replacement for Okaro, Acting Super Amanda Prosser, who proved to be highly unpopular. The pair's reputation plummeted when Gold is suspended after Prosser messed up on an armed raid, Prosser framing Gold as an alcoholic to make her a scapegoat. Barratt went out on the street with Casper and tried to persuade him to transfer to TSG. When Casper declined, Barratt revealed he had arranged it so he would stay away from Rochelle, identifying himself as Casper's blackmailer. When an operation went pear-shaped, Barratt left Casper to be held hostage. While Casper escaped unharmed, Barratt punched him when confronted, however he made up with Rochelle before she transferred to another Borough with her husband.
Rochelle Barratt
| Rochelle Barratt | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #315 (2/6/05) |
| Last appearance | Episode #361 (3/11/05) |
| Portrayed by | Anna Acton |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Drugs Referral Officer |
| Spouse | Ian Barratt |
Drugs Referral Officer Rochelle Barratt arrived at Sun Hill in June 2005, transferring from Spicer St Station. It was revealed she had been having an affair with PC Dan Casper whilst at Spicer St, which resumed when she transferred to Sun Hill. Soon after, Casper began being blackmailed. Barratt's husband Ian, formerly Casper's superintendent at Spicer St, was promoted to Borough Commander and started appearing at Sun Hill more often, but Barratt and Casper continued their affair. After a secondment to TSG, Casper was paired with Ian on an armed robbery case. When the raid goes pear-shaped, Casper was held hostage, while Ian abandoned him. Rochelle becomes concerned about both, but as she opens up to Ian, Casper returns to have it out with Ian. Despite punching Casper in the face, Rochelle decides to give Ian another chance for the sake of their son, Alex. After a final goodbye with Casper, Rochelle left Sun Hill with Ian.
Margaret Barnes
| Margaret Barnes | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Beginner's Luck (01/12/04) |
| Last appearance | Through the Facade (18/05/05) |
| Portrayed by | Annabelle Apsion |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Contract Cleaner |
| Spouse | Chris Barnes |
Margaret Barnes first appeared on The Bill as a mother with mental health issues, who despite being reformed by the efforts of DS Ramani DeCosta, became increasingly unstable when she joined Sun Hill as a cleaner and became obsessed with DeCosta. Her first appearance came when her delusions saw her accuse her husband Chris of attacking her. As DeCosta investigated further, she discovered Barnes was becoming unstable and had her sectioned. Despite this, Barnes showed up at Sun Hill at the end of 2004 to thank DeCosta for it, stating it had turned her life around and improved her relationship with her husband and children.
In January 2005, Barnes became employed as a contract cleaner and was assigned to Sun Hill. She quickly became friends with many of the Sun Hill team, always willing to offer a hand or bribe the team with baked goods or treats to improve her reputation. She then began hiding evidence so that she could act heroic when she 'found it'. When a van crashed into Sun Hill and exploded, DeCosta aided a terrified Barnes out via a rooftop fire escape. Barnes began a form of hero-worshiping towards DeCosta and began stalking her, stealing personal items and answered her phone when DeCosta was out of sight to learn more about her.
Barnes became increasingly unstable when DeCosta tried to pull away, and took things too far when she called DeCosta's ex-husband, Brian Yorke, and told him DeCosta had been killed. Barnes ended up injured when she got into a scuffle with DeCosta, Barnes falling down the station stairs when DeCosta tried physically pulling away from her. After some convincing by PC Roger Valentine, Barnes dropped suggestions of a GBH charge. When DeCosta returned from leave and told Barnes to see a doctor, she had a DI from Barton Street station arrest DeCosta for harassment, taking photos of DeCosta near her house and smashing up her own car. DCI Jack Meadows arranged for her to be transferred to another station, while DC Terry Perkins tried to clear DeCosta's name, but Perkins was stabbed in the stomach when he found Barnes having a psychotic break inside DeCosta's house. Showing up at Sun Hill covered in blood, DeCosta accompanied Barnes to hospital, where a nurse told her that Barnes had more than her own blood on her. Tracking down Barnes' husband Chris, DeCosta worked out Perkins was stabbed and rushed to her house to find him. Perkins eventually pulled through and Barnes was sectioned a second time, before being admitted to a long-term psychiatric facility, making her last appearance in May 2005. The character made 20 appearances on The Bill.
Juliet Becker
| Juliet Becker | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #119 (5/6/03) |
| Last appearance | Episode #162 (30/10/03) |
| Portrayed by | Rae Baker |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Constable Juliet Becker arrives at Sun Hill in June 2003, and soon sets a precedent with the rest of the force, after she reveals that she is openly bisexual. She reveals that she recently had an affair with a married woman, whose husband reacted violently upon finding out. Juliet eventually begins a relationship with fellow officer Detective Sergeant Debbie McAllister, following the events of McAllister's marriage to the cold Superintendent Tom Chandler. After only five months at Sun Hill, Juliet is taken hostage after she arrested a male for criminal damage. She was held at knife point in the yard of the station, she was bundled into the back of the police van. As the arrest team zoned in, Becker was stabbed while the team tried to get her out. Despite the best efforts of the Sun Hill team to rescue her, she later died in hospital.
Don Beech
| Don Beech | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Expert Witness (3/2/95) |
| Last appearance | Episode #216 (20/05/04) |
| Portrayed by | Billy Murray |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Sergeant Don Beech is considered to be the coldest officer in the show's history, prompting his own scandal. Beech first arrived at Sun Hill in 1995, and from the off, began his dodgy dealings and harsh methods of catching criminals. Despite his questionable methods, he was a very effective detective, and he often used his numerous contacts in the underworld to solve crimes and gather evidence that no other detective could. After five years of cold behavior, secrets and lies, culminating in him unintentionally killing DS John Boulton in a fight, he fled Sun Hill in 2000 when his crimes were exposed. After his departure, his story continued in the special episode Beech on the Run in 2001. The episode followed Beech as he fled abroad to Australia to escape imprisonment. At the end of the episode, the boat he was travelling on burst into a ball of flames, leaving viewers not knowing whether he was dead or alive. Later that year, he returned in a spin-off mini-series titled Beech is Back, where it was revealed he had faked his death so he could secretly return to Britain. He then organised a robbery of a six million pound diamond to escape the country but his attempt failed when ex-CID officer Detective Inspector Claire Stanton found him and brought him to justice. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crimes he committed during his time in the police force, and while on the run in Australia. In 2004, he was seen in prison, where he offered information on police corruption in exchange for a transfer to a lower security prison. However, he escaped during the transfer and was never heard from again.[3]
Gary Best
| Gary Best | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #020 (25/6/02) |
| Last appearance | Episode #328 (20/7/05) |
| Portrayed by | Ciarán Griffiths |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable (2002-2004) Detective Constable (2004-2005) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable later Detective Constable Gary Best is portrayed as making up for in enthusiasm and eagerness to learn what he lacks in intelligence. A cocky lad from Manchester, there are a variety of reasons which inspired Gary to join the police force, mainly the fact that if he was not in uniform, he would most likely be on remand. Gary also had a troubled upbringing, consisting of domestic violence from his father, something that only stopped when he reached the physical maturity to be able to hit his dad back. In his late teen years, Gary made the decision to report his dad to the police, a decision which ultimately divided his family and rendered Gary an outcast.[4] Shortly afterwards, he decided to join the Metropolitan Police.
Best arrived at Sun Hill shortly after the events of The 2002 Sun Hill Fire. At the time he is a probationary police constable, being puppy-walked by the veteran PC Tony Stamp. Best is a popular recruit to Sun Hill, and he has no problems fitting in or making friends. His weakness is thinking with his heart, never having been one to stand back and assess a situation, and has a tendency to rush into things. He learned on his first day that a kind word goes further than a harsh one after trying to come across as a tough guy. His fast track potential was spotted when he went undercover at a club, leading to a second at a department store about to be raided. He ended up on a third undercover op a little over a year after arriving at Sun Hill when he was tasked with tracking down a man suspected of manipulating teenage runaways into prostitution. When he was drugged and passed out watching an older man undress, Best feared he had been raped, however a medical examination cleared him.
Best's family life was explored early on when it was revealed he had his father jailed for abusing his mother. His sister Karen was the first to appear, in mid 2002 until early 2003, and it was eventually revealed that she was assaulting her son Ryan. Best sold her out to social services and she cut all ties with him, moving back to Manchester. The next family member was his father Alan, who PC Honey Harman unwittingly invited to Best's 21st birthday party. In an attempt to get close to Gary, Alan liaised with Inspector Gina Gold to provide information on a drug dealing garage owner, however Gary was furious about his meddling and beat him up. Going back to apologise, Best wanders into the middle of an OBBO and blows it, causing the target to kidnap Alan at gunpoint. Alan isn't found when the target, Jules Ellis, is arrested after a showdown with SO19. Ellis later confesses to murdering Alan, with Best overhearing the news whilst in the bathroom. Whilst Ellis is escorted to his cell, Best attacks him and Ellis escapes to the station roof, where Best throws him off onto a passing van. Ellis is killed as a result, while Best is seriously injured, however he faces no criminal charges for the death.
In mid-2004, Best is thrown into another case involving his family when the Organized Crime Group ask him to go undercover with his brother Joe. His brother is implicated in a murder, however Best clears his name, but discovers that a corrupt DI leaked info to two kingpins to try and have the dealers killed as revenge for a drug addiction that ruined his son's life. Despite Best's disgust, the DI arranges for Best to be transferred to CID, which he accepts. Keen to impress, Best distances himself from uniform and takes unnecessary risks. When DC Suzie Sim arrives as his new trainer, she treats him like a child and Best begins resenting her, with her frequently referring to him as "pocket cop". Eventually pushed too far by Sim's constant put-downs, he blasts her in front of the whole of CID and accuses her of bullying, damaging his popularity. In the summer of 2005, Best is given what looks like a low level crime involving a theft of lamps from a production company, but Stamp discovers a link to drugs. Warning DCI Jack Meadows, CID try to warn Best, however he walks into an armed ambush with Sim and close friend, DC Jo Masters. As Sim tries to assault the gunman, he turns the gun on her, but Best pushes her aside and takes the bullet. Despite fears he may be paralysed, Best recovers and reunites with his mum in hospital, where he decides to return to Manchester and transfers to Greater Manchester Police CID.
Jamila Blake
| Jamila Blake | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Right Thing (31/12/96) |
| Last appearance | The Wrong Horse (28/1/99) |
| Portrayed by | Lolita Chakrabarti |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Jamila Blake was born to middle-class parents – her father was of Bengali origin and a solicitor, her mother was a secretary in the practice where he launched his career. Jamila was a 're-join', returning to the Met after an absence of three years. She was an exceptional WPC with a very promising career, but disappointed her superiors by leaving the Met after four years' service to enter a potentially lucrative telephone sales business with her husband. She returned to the force and joined the Sun Hill relief in 1996. Because Jamila hadn't been away from police work that long, she didn't undergo a retraining programme, but although fully versed in PACE, she found modern policing had changed somewhat in the short time she had been away. She left Sun Hill in early 1999.
Adam Bostock
| Adam Bostock | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | No Job For An Amateur (18/1/94) |
| Last appearance | Instant Response (6/9/94) |
| Portrayed by | Carl Brincat |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Adam Bostock transferred from Area Drugs after falling out with his previous governor. Although only three years out of probation, Bostock thought he knew it all and intended to enjoy life to the max. He had a glib sense of humour and sharp tongue. He could also lack a certain tact and diplomacy, but was keen to get the job done. He did not last long at Sun Hill, leaving after only nine months service.
John Boulton
| John Boulton | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Saved (2/11/95) |
| Last appearance | Find The Lady (17/10/00) |
| Portrayed by | Russell Boulter |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Sergeant John Boulton was neither a cold officer nor a strictly honest one; he was not averse to cutting corners in order to get a result and arrest a criminal, as first seen in his guest appearance in 1994 where a prisoner made a complaint of assault on a run in with DC Jim Carver's obbo. He was uncaring with his colleagues due to his arrogant attitude and constant desire for promotion. Prior to his time at Sun Hill, he was a DC at Barton Street and was previously stationed at Stafford Row and Romford. He transferred to Sun Hill in 1995, promoted to Detective Sergeant.
He was especially disliked around the time of Police Constable Dave Quinnan's stabbing as many officers held John responsible for putting Dave in that position. John was also suspected of killing a suspect while chasing him; he was cleared of this but then told one of his colleagues "there's no smoke without fire". A more sympathetic side of John was shown when he had an HIV scare after being spiked by a suspect's needle. DCI Jack Meadows supported John through this ordeal. John embarked on a relationship with Detective Sergeant Claire Stanton, unaware that she was an anti-corruption officer investigating the officers at Sun Hill. Her main target was John's best friend DS Don Beech. After being backed into a corner by Claire, Don decided to come clean to John after arranging to meet him one night. However John did not take the news of Don's corruption well and attacked him. Don then killed John in the ensuing fight.[5] John's body was discovered by Jim Carver and Dave Quinnan, however only Claire seemed upset about his death. Claire eventually managed to convict Don for John's murder and was seen sitting by John's grave in her final episode. John was known, affectionately, as "the little ginger short arse" to colleagues due to a suspect once calling him this in an interview.
Matthew "Matt" Boyden
| Matthew "Matt" Boyden | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First appearance | "Balls in the Air" (07/10/1991) |
| Last appearance | "Episode #111" (01/05/2003) |
| Portrayed by | Tony O'Callaghan |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Sergeant (1991-2003) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Relatives | Amy Boydon (daughter) Sophie Boydon (granddaughter) |
Sergeant Matthew "Matt" Boyden is an extremely disciplined, charismatic and competent officer, known for his dry London wit, who is elevated to the position of Sergeant at the age of 30.[6] He is "a bit of a womaniser".[7]
Storylines
1991 Boyden initially arrives at Sun Hill in 1991 after an indiscretion with a WPC. Despite nearly losing his job, his extra-marital affairs continue, ultimately costing him his marriage.
2001-2002 When Sgt. Craig Gilmore arrives at Sun Hill, it is revealed that Boyden has a previously unknown homophobic streak, starting a hate campaign against his colleague, which Insp. Monroe is forced to stop, warning Boyden that his neck is on the line if he continues the constant level of abuse. Boyden's daughter Amy becomes increasingly estranged from him when he takes an instant dislike to her new boyfriend, and he begins to see even less of his grandchild Sophie. Following the death of Insp. Andrew Monroe in the first Sun Hill fire, Boyden is promoted to the role of acting inspector before the appointment of Insp. Gina Gold.
Towards the end of his career at Sun Hill, Boyden is at the centre of an internal investigation when he sleeps with DS Nixon's daughter, daughter, Abi, who is only 15 years old at the time of their affair and therefore below the age of consent.[7] It is later mentioned that four years earlier, Boyden had been involved in a similar incident with a girl of the same age, although he only discovered her true age after the event. The girl later committed suicide.
2003 Anxious to fund her drug addiction, Boyden's daughter Amy orders her boyfriend to shoot her father so she can profit from his insurance money. Boyden is killed in a drive-by shooting which also results in the death of an innocent bystander. Boyden's murder is investigated by DI Vivien Friend of the Murder Investigation Team,[8] however it was not initially established that he was the intended target, until information reveals Amy to be responsible for his murder. Former Sgt. Bob Cryer and Sgt. June Ackland attend Boyden's funeral and also give a speech at his wake.
Cathy Bradford
| Cathy Bradford | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Set in Stone (31/1/02) |
| Last appearance | Episode #206 (8/4/04) |
| Portrayed by | Connie Hyde |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
PC Cathy Bradford was one of Sun Hill's unstable officers and was notorious for lying. Cathy was first posted as a probationer in Leeds, then jumped at the opportunity to join the Hong Kong police where she quickly attained the rank of Inspector. She returned to the United Kingdom, hoping to regain her rank, as she was made PC again. She made a huge impression on her first day managing to restrain a suspect who tried to escape from Sergeant Craig Gilmore and turned down Tony Stamp on the same day. After the Sun Hill fire in 2002 and the renovation at Sun Hill, a community safety unit was set up and Cathy joined, falling for new recruit DC Brandon Kane. This started an obsession which was first acted on when Brandon's ex, Tanya, threatened to take his children to Scotland after one of them fell over in the CSU office, after when Brandon had to look after the children at work. Cathy spiked drinks that Tanya was having with lunch with her girlfriend and Tanya was barred from driving.
Cathy split Tanya up with her partner Roz, when she claimed that Roz was beating up Brandon's son, Jordan. Cathy later was stabbed with hypodermic needle and despite the fact her test came up negative, she claimed it was positive for HIV to get sympathy from Brandon and they later slept together. Cathy also split Brandon up from a doctor love interest, by claiming she was making hoax calls while Eva Sharpe's daughter Joanna was missing. When Tanya told Cathy she wanted to get back with Brandon, Cathy pushed her down the stairs at a car park and Tanya died of her injuries. Cathy later stopped PC Polly Page from telling the truth about assisting the suicide of her friend Dr Owen Preston; when Polly was arrested for murder, Cathy lied to get Polly temporarily sent down, Cathy also got engaged to Polly's boyfriend, Max Wyatt. Cathy also lost CADO Roberta Cryer's job by beating herself up after continually lying about a stalker.
When PC Honey Harman got close to Brandon, Cathy burns down Brandon's home and gets him to move in with her and Max but when Max helps Brandon get ready to move out, Cathy beats Max to death with her ASP. Brandon's children find a CCTV tape of the car park where Tanya died the night she fell, Brandon sees Cathy on it and goes to see Robbie Cryer, who is beaten up by Cathy. When this evidence is taken to DCI Jack Meadows, Cathy abducts Brandon's children and locks them and herself in the station boiler room. When she is found she holds Brandon hostage and lets the children go, before she is arrested trying to set fire to the boiler room with her and Brandon in it. Brandon later resigns; Polly is released from prison and goes to visit Cathy in a mental state hospital before she leaves Sun Hill, as she does not enjoy her new posting as CAD Operator.
Claire Brind
| Claire Brind | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Trespasses (6/9/88) |
| Last appearance | Saturday Night Fever (28/12/89) |
| Portrayed by | Kelly Lawrence |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Claire Brind was a Londoner, from south of the river. She was bright and forthright but slightly accident-prone. The daughter of a former Detective Inspector, who retired on medical grounds following injuries sustained in an off-duty road accident, and still a serving District Nurse, Claire joined the station as a probationer. The butt of jokes both in the station and on the streets, she struggled to assert her authority and disliked certain aspects of the job. Although she occasionally showed commendable initiative, her moaning and poor timekeeping did not exactly endear her to her sergeants – but Claire was one of Detective Inspector Frank Burnside's favourite PCs to use for plain clothes operations – she was on hand in the hospital when DI Burnside's goddaughter died and he appreciated her tactful handling of the situation. Claire left Sun Hill without explanation at the end of 1989.
Millie Brown
| Millie Brown | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | New Blood (12/6/08) |
| Last appearance | On the Streets (29/12/09) |
| Portrayed by | Clare Foster |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Millie Brown comes across as a bit of a scatter-brain. She assembles order to her life and the whirl of thoughts in her mind with lists and meticulous note taking. Chaos makes her anxious, so Millie always strives to be organised. With four years' experience under her belt, she enjoys the structure of the police service. If she wasn't a federation representative in the Met, Millie would have been a health and safety advisor. No rule is too big to be ignored. She will always proceed with caution. Millie is at times, too self-conscious to speak up. When she does, however, her views are usually well thought out and helpful in solving cases. Millie left Sun Hill without explanation in December 2009.
Charles Brownlow
| Charles Brownlow | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Funny Ol' Business – Cops and Robbers (16/10/84) |
| Last appearance | All Fall Down - Part 1 (27/10/00) |
| Portrayed by | Peter Ellis |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Chief Superintendent |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Chief Superintendent Charles Brownlow is considered the most passive of the bosses Sun Hill has ever seen. He preferred to leave responsibility and most of the decisions in the hands of his fellow senior officers Police Chief Inspector Derek Conway and Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows. He prefers spin over substance. One of his most noted empty gestures is when he decides to eat with the other officers to prove he is on the same level as them. This embarrasses most of the force but he refuses to accept it as a disaster. He hides behind his secretary and the rules and regulations of the job. He is heavily involved in the Masonic Lodge. This is a recurring theme in the series with Conway benefiting from membership of the Lodge.[9] For all his faults though, Brownlow is a fundamentally decent man with a conscience and he earns a lot of sympathy when he feels obliged to resign from his post in the wake of the Don Beech Scandal. He later returns for a station funeral. He is succeeded by Superintendent. Tom Chandler.
Laura Bryant
| Laura Bryant | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Rogue Tourist (07/05/04) |
| Last appearance | Too Little, Too Late Part 2 (25/05/06) |
| Portrayed by | Melanie Kilburn |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable (2005-2006) PCSO (2005) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
PCSO later PC Laura Bryant was a hard working mother of two who joined the police to make a difference in her community, the Cole Lane estate. Her first appearance came in 2004 when she was a community leader on the Cole Lane, which was being manned by PC Gabriel Kent, asking about suspected paedophile Roy Stafford. Riling the estate residents, Bryant led efforts to have him run off the estate, but Stafford was stubborn, despite a near riot outside his home. When Kent failed in his efforts to intimidate Stafford, he inflicted a savage beating; horrified when he sees Bryant watching him assault Stafford, he is concerned she will tell all, but is left stunned when she offers an alibi. Stafford packs up in the aftermath, and a grateful Bryant asks him to deal with loan shark, Mickey Turner, in return for her silence. When Kent can't convince Turner to leave the estate, he recruits a group of masked thugs and has him assaulted. Bryant is delighted by the results, but she then decides enough is enough when Kent has two youths, Lee Sandford and Drew Collins, assaulted for mugging a pensioner. When Kent's thugs rob the victim's son, Bryant goes to DC Rob Thatcher and tells all. Before Thatcher can take things any further, DC Ken Drummond spots crime boss Irene Radford operating on the estate, DCI Jack Meadows has Kent taken off the estate for his own safety. Kent has a final showdown with Bryant and tells her she's on her own.
In early 2005, Bryant arrives at Sun Hill as a Police Community Support Officer. When PC Andrea Dunbar joins forces with Sergeant Dale Smith to bring down Kent, Dunbar goes to Bryant and finds out what he did on the Cole Lane. While she eventually got her evidence, Dunbar was killed in the station fire. In the aftermath, Bryant found herself a victim of abuse from the local community after exposure of killer Colin Fairfax, a fellow PCSO. She began a close relationship with PCs Sheelagh Murphy and Lance Powell, and her instincts led to Sergeant Smith recommending her for training as a PC. Soon after her return and the completion of her training, Bryant was stunned when a member of the public came to see Sergeant June Ackland, calling himself Gabriel Kent. While PC Kent tried to persuade him he wasn't mentally sane, but Smith enlightened her that Ackland gave away her son Robert and he was adopted as Gabriel Kent. Realizing PC Kent was an impostor, Bryant lets it slip to Murphy, now fiancee of Kent. Discovering his false identity, Murphy is tied up as Kent goes to silence his brother, in intensive care after being shot during a siege at the station. Smith decides to tell DS Samantha Nixon and they arrange an arrest squad for Kent, but he takes Ackland hostage on a rooftop before jumping to his death as the arrest team closed in.
Bryant saw both her closest friends left Sun Hill in the space of a few weeks in late 2005; Murphy resigned in the aftermath of the Kent's suicide, while Powell was tragically murdered by a serial killer after breaking up with his husband Marc Rollins. Bryant was devastated at the death of her close friend, and things only got harder when her son Liam got into trouble. When he accused her of caring more about the job than him, she hands in her resignation. Inspector Gina Gold tries to convince her to keep her job, and fed rep Leela Kapoor manages to persuade her to transfer from Sun Hill to Barton Street's Safer Neighbourhoods Unit, in order to get better hours. She left Sun Hill in the spring of 2006.
Frank Burnside
| Frank Burnside | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | "Just Call Me Guvnor" (4 August 1988) |
| Last appearance | Thug On The Tyne – Part 2 (13 January 2000) |
| Portrayed by | Christopher Ellison |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Inspector (1988-1993) Detective Chief Inspector (1998-2000) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Inspector later Detective Chief Inspector, Frank Burnside (known originally as Tom Burnside) is the true main antagonist of the TV series, first arriving at Sun Hill in 1984, as a DS then working with the Flying Squad. He is a former colleague of Sergeant Bob Cryer, who makes no secret of his dislike of Burnside. Burnside is thought to have slipped through the net of Operation Countryman, the Met's anti-corruption drive in the 1970s, and revels in his notoriety. When PC Jim Carver arrests a small-time car thief, Burnside arrives at Sun Hill to appeal for the man's release. Cryer is appalled at the suggestion, and urges Detective Inspector Roy Galloway to block the request. However, Burnside explains that the prisoner is a valuable police informant, and manages to persuade DI Galloway to secure his release. The incident creates much ill-feeling within the station, particularly among Sergeant Cryer and PC Carver. Burnside reappears twice more as a DS. By this time, his apparent villainy is an open secret at the station, and few are less pleased to see him, least of all Sergeant Cryer and DI Galloway. However, Burnside is bitter, uncaring and evil and sets his sights on WPC June Ackland. Burnside is too sick-minded to sense her obvious repulsion towards him, and June takes great delight in stringing him along. However, other Sun Hill officers take exception to his pursuit of her, prompting DC Mike Dashwood to intervene. He informs Burnside that June is Galloway's mistress, forcing the rogue detective to switch his sights elsewhere.
Burnside arrived at Sun Hill full-time in 1988, where Galloway's departure creates a vacancy for a new Detective Inspector. DS Ted Roach has his own sights set on the job, and is appalled to learn that Burnside is a rival candidate. When Burnside takes the post, Roach and Sgt Cryer are outspoken in their views on the appointment of an apparently corrupt officer. It soon becomes clear that Burnside is far from his previous incarnation. Besides a new rank and Christian name, Burnside acquires a new outlook. The sneering and sinister loner divorced man is replaced with a darker and more devious side of himself. His apparent corruption is explained away by Inspector Christine Frazer as a result of Burnside having worked undercover on Operation Countryman, forcing Sgt Bob Cryer to swallow his pride and welcome Burnside to Sun Hill. However, Roach is far harder to win round. Despite their similarities, both having maverick tendencies, but ultimately on the right side of the law, Burnside and Roach have an uneasy working relationship. Roach's increasing frustration at having been passed over for promotion, coupled with a thinly-disguised drink problem, make him almost unmanageable for his senior officers. When matched with Burnside's explosive personality, the two officers physically come to blows. However, their similar policing styles and views lead to them developing a mutual respect. As the police force becomes more politically correct, maverick officers such as Burnside and Roach are increasingly seen as a dying breed. As such, their working relationship becomes one of mutual dependency, each watching the other's back when either of them sail too close to the wind. When Roach walks out of the job following an assault on Inspector Monroe, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows caustically remarks that it is the end of an era for Burnside. Meadows' prophecy is proven right later when Burnside mysteriously fails to show for work. It is explained that Burnside has been taken out on a "special operation", prompting his colleagues to speculate that he is working undercover. As the years go by, a succession of DIs take Burnside's office.
In 1998, Burnside returned during an investigation led by Detective Sergeant John Boulton and Detective Constable Jim Carver into a protection racket, which leads them to Manchester. Carver is shocked to discover that his former boss is one of the main players in the operation, and he and Boulton are forced to take Burnside back to Sun Hill in handcuffs. Meadows is openly disliking towards his former colleague but, reminiscent of Sgt Bob Cryer ten years earlier, he is forced to backtrack when it emerges that Burnside is working undercover. Furthermore, Burnside had been promoted to the rank of DCI within the field, and is now on an equal footing with Meadows. Burnside then appears as the head of the elite Crime Operational Command Unit, and his work frequently brings him into contact with Sun Hill officers, investigating high-profile cases. One such investigation leads to him arresting DC Jim Carver on suspicion of murder. Despite their rocky start, Burnside took the impressionable young DC Carver under his wing during his reign as DI, and is sorry to see his friend's sad fall from grace. Carver begins drinking heavily following his enforced move back to uniform, marking a steep decline into alcoholism. When he wakes from a drunken stupor to find a murdered prostitute beside him, it seems Carver's career is over. However, Burnside helps Carver to seek help for his addiction. Burnside left Sun Hill permanently on 13 January 2000.
His own series debuted in 2000.[10] Burnside is the antagonist principal character in the episodes in which he appears, and the popularity of these episodes paved the way for a spin-off series, Burnside. The six-part series, three consecutive two-part stories, follows Burnside's new role as a DCI with the National Crime Squad, described in the show's publicity as the British equivalent of the FBI. The series is much grittier than The Bill, as its post-watershed timeslot enabled stronger language and more violent scenes. Although each two-part story focuses on a different crime, the series is underpinned by a story arc, which explores Burnside's pursuit of gangland boss Ronnie Buchan. Buchan had murdered Burnside's best friend years earlier, and Burnside is determined to use his newfound influence as head of a team within the NCS to bring Buchan to justice. The series ended with Burnside vowing to nail Buchan by whatever means necessary. Despite the popularity of the Burnside character in The Bill, his spin-off failed to take off, and was axed after just one series.
Ruby Buxton
| Ruby Buxton | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #062 (14/11/02) |
| Last appearance | Episode #143 (28/08/03) |
| Portrayed by | Nicola Alexis |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Police Constable Ruby Buxton was born and bred in Canley. Always popular and bright at school, she left at the age of 18 choosing to go out into the world and earn some money, rather than go on to further education. Her first job was at the local store, but she soon found it mundane and unchallenging. She was then attracted to the police by the Met's recruitment drive package – £26,000 after paid training and free travel too. It never even occurred to her that she might be cop material, but she still applied. Ruby went into the force with a blasé attitude; she'd only been out of Hendon for nine months when she arrived at Sun Hill. She was genuinely pleased to have got into the force though and couldn't believe her luck in gaining entry. Easygoing, vivacious and bubbly, Ruby eased into Sun Hill life from the start. She loved being a copper and got on well with the likes of Tony and Reg. She wasn't so bothered about the other girls. Ruby was down to earth; she kept her feet on the ground and was a great judge of character. Her ex-schoolmates laughed at her decision to join up – some of whom she came into contact with some of them on the beat – but she laughed with them, and any jibes were like water off a duck's back. Ruby was uncomplicated, without baggage and not susceptible to moral dilemmas. She took everything in her stride and was ready to embrace her job to the full. Unfortunately, following the perjury fiasco with PC Gabriel Kent, Ruby could no longer live with being a dishonest copper and opted to resign.
C
Max Carter
| Max Carter | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Assault On Sun Hill – Part 1 (27/12/07) |
| Last appearance | Respect – Part Two (31/08/10) |
| Portrayed by | Christopher Fox |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Sergeant Max Carter transferred from CO19 after being involved in two separate lethal shootings of suspects. One of the shootings was Thomas Jankowski. Although both were justified killings, it was deemed sensible to transfer him out given current media attention to armed response incidents. As the move was accompanied by a promotion to DS, the career-minded Max was happy with the change of scene. Max arrived at Sun Hill much to the dismay of Detective Inspector Samantha Nixon and Detective Constable Terry Perkins, who was hoping for promotion himself. Half Polish and half English, Max offered a side to the job that was not previously seen in CID. Max often had run-ins with Terry and DC Grace Dasari, but was strong in his decision to pave his own way. After an undercover operation with DC Mickey Webb in 2010, where the pair were forced to take cocaine to keep their cover, Max became a drug addict, frequently taking heroin and cocaine and handing over large amounts of money to cocaine dealers. His addiction was discovered by Mickey, who informed Sergeant Jo Masters and Terry. Terry then gave Max an ultimatum: turn himself in to DI Neil Manson, or allow him to arrest him for possession, thus ending his career. Max chose neither, and managed to manipulate the situation to continue his career.
Jim Carver
| Jim Carver | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Woodentop (16/8/83) |
| Last appearance | Moving On (24 February 2005) |
| Portrayed by | Mark Wingett |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable (1983-1988,1999-2004) Detective Constable (1988-1999,2004-2005) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Spouse | Marie Graham (divorced: 2003) June Ackland (divorced: 2005) |
Police Constable later Detective Constable Jim Carver began his career as a probationer at Sun Hill, appearing in the opening scenes of the pilot episode, Woodentop. He had already made up his mind that he was going to remain a uniformed police officer for the remainder of his career, and was adamant that he was not destined for CID.[11] Despite his vow not to transfer to CID, Jim later becomes a Detective Constable,[3] where Detective Inspector Frank Burnside becomes a mentor for him. He remains in CID for twelve years, before he is demoted back to uniform having never been recommended for promotion. His career then goes into decline, due mainly to his increased dependency on alcohol. His alcoholism almost costs him his job, but he is able to transfer back into uniform after rehabilitation, where he begins to rebuild his reputation. Carver then joins the Community Safety Unit, where he really tries to make a go of it; he later returns to CID as a DC. Carver's first marriage is to Marie Graham, a victim of crime who he had liaised with at one point. This marriage fails, however, when Marie also turns out to be an alcoholic and physically abuses Jim. The two divorce and she is later sectioned. June Ackland had been a close friend of Carver's before his employment, and they started a relationship before his marriage to Marie. After Jim divorces Marie, they are able to get closer again, and they eventually marry. Despite staying sober after his rehabilitation, Carver adopts a gambling addiction. He accrues massive debts and eventually leaves Sun Hill, leaving June to come out of retirement to repay the debts.[11] Carver later returns to Sun Hill and it is revealed that he had been sent by Greater Manchester Police to track down and arrest a suspect that had come to Sun Hill to escape the law.[11] Carver returns as a Detective Sergeant, having been promoted from Detective Constable. Whilst tracking the suspect down, both June and Jim are kidnapped, although the staff at Sun Hill are able to locate them and send in armed support to rescue them and arrest their kidnapper, Pat Hadly.[12] Jim tells June that he still loves her, but June ultimately declines his offer of a reconciliation and leaves Sun Hill with her new fiancee Rod Jessop, leaving him heartbroken.
Dan Casper
| Dan Casper | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | In the Driving Seat (16/2/05) |
| Last appearance | Deadly Secrets (16/8/07) |
| Portrayed by | Chris Jarvis |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
PC Dan Casper, prior to joining the police service, was a ticket inspector on the London Underground. He is an active and energetic character who views the world in black and white, good versus bad. Casper was first seen prior to the events of the 2005 station fire as a PC from Spicer Street Station on an Incident Response course at Hendon with PCs Amber Johannsen and Leela Kapoor. He was seen as cocky, arrogant and a ladies man, receiving a harsh warning from his instructor that he'll only pass if he stops thinking he's better than he actually is. Soon after passing his course he was involved in a traffic collision whilst responding to a call, an incident that would come back to haunt him when applying to be an Area Car driver in early 2006. Casper transferred to Sun Hill in the aftermath of the station fire, replacing the recently deceased PC Andrea Dunbar. His confidence showed on day one, but he took a risk when he pulled a deaf girl away from a speeding lorry as she tried to commit suicide. It was revealed she was an Au pair who was abused by her host family, and had become pregnant. Torn between the man who raped her and his son, she was forced into a termination, however she ran away from the clinic. As Casper tried to talk her down, she ran into traffic and was killed being hit by a car, causing Casper to lash out at her alleged rapist. It soon emerged that Casper was involved in an affair with the station's new Drugs Referral Officer Rochelle Barratt when based at Spicer Street, and while he tried to break it off because her husband Ian was the Superintendent there, it quickly resumed when Rochelle joined Sun Hill. Casper began receiving blackmail letters but continued the affair with Rochelle, despite Ian being promoted to Borough Commander, which led to him appearing at Sun Hill more often. Casper put in for a secondment to TSG and joined them for an intensive training programme, with his impressed trainers offering him a transfer. Upon returning to Sun Hill, he was awkwardly paired with Ian after the Borough Commander told Superintendent Adam Okaro he wanted a day out on patrol. It was during this shift that Ian confronted Casper by telling him he knew about the affair and was the one blackmailing him, Ian reacting furiously when Casper said he didn't want to leave Sun Hill. When the two were caught up in an armed siege as a robbery suspect escaped into their OBBO building, Ian fled and left Casper to be held at gunpoint for the second time in the space of a few months, having been shot during the recent station siege. Casper was freed as the suspect was arrested and immediately confronted Ian, who responded by punching Casper in the face. After a heart-to-heart with wife Rochelle, the Barratts left Sun Hill.
Soon after the break-up of his relationship with Rochelle, Casper befriended new PC Will Fletcher. The pair bonded after being paired together on several cases, and Fletcher moved in with Casper when he became homeless. Their budding friendship was quickly extinguished when they both went head to head applying for an Area Car training programme. After Casper failed to inspect an IRV driven by Fletcher to fill his application form, Fletcher was deducted three points by Acting Sergeant Yvonne Hemmingway. When they both caught the attention of an attractive female, Fletcher won a coin toss to ask her out, however Casper saw her at a petrol station as Fletcher looked for her and asked her out. Furious at a double betrayal, Fletcher tampered with the petrol pumps and sabotaged the IRV, causing Casper to also be deducted three points. When Fletcher stated they were even, Casper told him of the crash he had whilst at Spicer Street, meaning he actually had six points and was no longer eligible. When Fletcher confessed to the sabotage and apologised, Casper chucked him out of their flat. Fletcher flirted with PC Honey Harman to get a place to stay, however Casper told Harman that Fletcher was using her, causing her to pour a beer over him at the pub and humiliate him in front of the relief. To rub salt in Casper's wounds, Fletcher was paired with him after returning from a passing mark on the Area Car course. They ended up resurrecting their friendship when Fletcher suggested Casper take up boxing, and Inspector Gina Gold gave them approval to join a local competition. Casper discovered he had a knack for it, however when he injured his shoulder, he began taking steroids. When Fletcher discovered this, he demanded Casper confess all to Gold, however Casper continued and won the boxing tournament. Despite worries of being found out, Casper used a rigged urine sample to pass a drugs test, but confessed to Gold when "roid-rage" causes him to seriously injure an opponent. Despite it being down to a medical condition that meant his opponent shouldn't have been fighting, Casper stopped his days in the ring.
In his later days at Sun Hill, Casper clashed with new Sergeant Callum Stone over his methods. As Stone favoured officers such as Fletcher for big jobs and training courses, Casper tried to re-apply to the Area Car course, however Stone rejected it. Clashing with Stone over judging him too soon, Stone told him he didn't need to give Casper a chance because he'd already made his mind up. After receiving a job offer as head of security in a club in San Antonio, Ibiza that a friend was opening, he decided to resign and accept the offer.
Philip Cato
| Phillip Cato | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Shock To The System (26/1/93) |
| Last appearance | Is That The Time? (3/3/95) |
| Portrayed by | Philip Whitchurch |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Chief Inspector |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Chief Inspector Philip Cato, the man they called 'the bald-headed bastard from Barton Street', is one officer that nobody forgets. He didn't suffer fools, especially those who he perceived as being unsympathetic to his methods. His strokes were legendary – as were the grudges against police officers he thought had worked against him. When Cato transferred to Sun Hill from Barton Street, he thought he'd have some allies there. But Sergeant Ray Steele distanced himself – he angered Cato by posting on the notice-boards a meeting-report including an off-the-record remark. Similarly PC Jarvis, who was also at Barton Street, showed he was no Cato poodle. Initially Brownlow welcomed Cato as someone even less popular than himself with the troops, but soon he realised that the new man's radical approach was having an adverse effect on station morale. Cato didn't think he was abrasive. He described himself as a no-nonsense person who had little patience with bureaucracy or sociological theorising. But he was clever enough to disguise it in the company of his superiors sometimes. With others he didn't put on an act. He was confrontational both on the street with suspects and in the station with Sun Hill officers. And what's wrong with that? Cato applied for the post of Acting Superintendent in 1994, but lost it to Chief Inspector Conway. He later applied for the post of Area Welfare Chief, but was again unsuccessful. Frustrated with lack of appreciation and being continually passed over for promotion, he decided to leave the job.
Marilyn Chambers
| Marilyn Chambers | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #158 (15/10/03) |
| Last appearance | Episode #289 (24/2/05) |
| Portrayed by | Vickie Gates |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Station Reception Officer |
| Occupation | Civilian Police Staff |
Station Reception Officer Marilyn Chambers was a born and bred Liverpudlian, who had worked as a civilian for the MET since she moved to London at the age of 22. Uptight and meticulous, Marilyn is anally retentive and a slave to routine. She was clipped and officious in the workplace but under her prickly exterior there was a passionate heart. When Marilyn had a drink her inhibitions go right out of the window and she tended to let her hormones get the better of her. She moved down from Liverpool with her older boyfriend, Neil, when his job took him to London. Marilyn doted on Neil and was devastated when he ended the relationship a couple of years later. She has been single ever since although there has been a couple of drunken one-night stands which she is deeply ashamed of. She rented a room in a shared house with a couple of twenty-something professionals but keeps herself to herself. Her idea of a top night out would be a trip to see the latest West End musical with her best friend, or maybe something starring Michael Ball. During her time at the station, began a relationship with PC Reg Hollis. Reg planned to propose to Marilyn on the platform of the train station where they went train spotting together but she is killed in The Sun Hill Fire of 2005.
Tom Chandler
| Tom Chandler | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | On The Hook (3 November 2000) |
| Last appearance | Game Over (16 October 2002) |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Superintendent |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Family | Debbie McAllister (wife) Andrew McAllister (son) James Chandler (brother) |
Personally recommended by Chief Superintendent Guy Mannion, Tom Chandler epitomized everything Mannion stood for and was the polar opposite of predecessor Charles Brownlow, a hotshot, fast-track young go-getter as willing to be best friends with his relief as well as come down on them like a tonne of bricks if need be. His time at Sun Hill saw him recruit several people similar to him, ambitious young coppers who he hoped would rise through the ranks quickly such as Sergeant Craig Gilmore, DCs Brandon Kane & Eva Sharpe and PCs Kerry Young and Gary Best, among others.
He arrived at Sun Hill in late 2000 in the aftermath of the Don Beech corruption scandal. With a wave of new officers to CID, Chandler brought a new DI, two DSs and two DCs in as a "new broom" to clean away the corruption and speculation. He wasn't keen on DCI Jack Meadows but helped him through a disciplinary proceeding and proceeded to undermine him on several cases, clicking his fingers and expecting Meadows to act. It was clear from the off that his new DI Alex Cullen was his right-hand man and would do his bidding due to a hold on the DI related to Chandler's cover-up of a death in custody. When Chandler got settled he decided to phase out officers he didn't like, the first two being Sergeant Bob Cryer and PC Dale Smith. When Smith and PC Nick Klein attended a shooting, the suspect suggested Smith encouraged him to take the law into his own hands, and when Klein told Chandler this, Smith assaulted him. Suspended by Chandler, Smith cleared his name and Chandler decided to agree for Smith to get a requested transfer to S019, telling Cullen that it was the best way to get rid of him. Chandler had two birds killed with one stone when Smith's first assignment saw him accidentally gun Cryer down, leaving Cryer forced to retire early.
Chandler made an enemy of DC Mickey Webb in mid 2001 when his handling of an undercover job led to a friend of Webb's being murdered by the prime suspect. Webb was further infuriated by Chandler's affair with Webb's best friend DC Kate Spears. In early 2002, Chandler made arrangements to renovate the station top to bottom, and he suggested to DCI Jack Meadows that personnel should also be changed; Webb and PCs Des Taviner and Di Worrell all on his hit-list. The station had an officer clear-out, but not in the way anyone could imagine. Racial tensions began rising after DS Vik Singh assaulted a local racist, Jeff Simpson, and Chandler sent Chief Inspector Derek Conway to a community meeting so he could sleep with Spears. While the meeting went well, a biker sped past a horrified Webb and lobbed a petrol bomb into Conway's car, which exploded and killed him. In the aftermath, Chandler tries to rally his troops, but then chose to stand them down after an incident at an abandoned factory. Whilst they debriefed, a group of rioters pulled up outside the station and started throwing petrol bombs at the station. Taviner, who had put a false £50 note in a charity fund for Conway, seized his oppourtunity to get rid of them, detaining a petrol bomber and his bag. Taviner throws the bomb into the station, but a gas canister used for the renovation caught alight, causing a massive explosion. With six officers killed, Chandler was left needing to replace a large chunk of the relief.
In the aftermath of the station fire, Chandler was delighted to discover that not only could he bring in more people that he chose, but that Sun Hill was getting a Community Safety Unit. His work commitments were soon disrupted when DS Debbie McAllister began seducing him, and while Chandler tried to break it off, she fell pregnant. He tried to force her into having a termination, but he decided to keep her sweet and quiet under the advice of Cullen. When he forced a transfer to MIT, Cullen warned Chandler his downfall wasn't far away. Meadows & Webb both started a campaign to bring him down for his involvement in the deaths of their respective best friends Conway & Spears and discovered Chandler raped a new recruit at Hendon, Louise Marsden, who later killed herself. After discovering a possible witness, Anne Merrick, Chandler visited her and sparked a nervous breakdown. After falsely accusing Chandler of rape, Merrick committed suicide, and McAllister saved his skin by finding a man to alibi him. Agreeing to marry Chandler, McAllister was unaware Chandler was only doing it to stop Meadows bringing him down. Despite this, Webb took a statement from Chandler's brother James to CIB, causing Chandler to hold himself and McAllister at gunpoint. Chandler corners Meadows in his office and threatens to shoot him, but he ends up taking his own life instead.
Roz Clarke
| Roz Clarke | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | First Impressions – Part 1 (19/9/00) |
| Last appearance | Slash and Burn (11/12/01) |
| Portrayed by | Holly Davidson |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
PC Roz Clarke was from a deprived background – quite unlike fellow probationer Ben Hayward's. Her father left her mother when she was six. Mrs. Clarke never remarried, but worked hard, and did her best to bring up Roz herself. Roz's exam years coincided with a wild time for her, so though bright, she only scraped the minimum educational requirements. At first she was blasé about this, masking any inadequacy with a couldn't care less attitude, taking numerous mundane jobs, and getting what fun she could out of her various relationships. The Met's new recruitment policy then caught her eye – and seemed to offer an easy way to live and work in London. At Hendon, Roz worked hard to try and correct her educational shortcomings. She showed outstanding commitment, but was initially Section 15'd for her poor performance in exams. Her faltering literacy was always a source of anxiety: her worst nightmare was standing up in court and having her testimony exposed by some snot-nosed defence lawyer. Roz often found herself having to run the gamut of male attitudes to establish herself as the effective and instinctive officer she ultimately could have been. Unfortunately Roz struggled to make ends meet financially. Unable to secure enough overtime to pay her debts, she moonlighted in telesales, as a result of which her police work suffered. When she failed her exams, she considered leaving the force but got a second chance to prove her worth in CID. However, Roz soon realised that she was not cut out to be a policewoman. Traumatised from being attacked by a rapist when posing as a prostitute, and angered by the possibility that her attacker could press charges against her for using unnecessary force, Roz decided to leave the job.
Derek Conway
| Derek Conway | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Three Wise Monkeys (21/7/88) |
| Last appearance | Episode #005 (28/3/02) |
| Portrayed by | Ben Roberts |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Chief Inspector (1988-1994, 1996-2002) Acting Superintendent (1994-1996) |
| Spouse | Sandra Conway |
Chief Inspector Derek Conway arrived at Sun Hill in 1988 as Chief Inspector of Operations at Sun Hill, acting as Chief Superintendent Brownlow's right-hand man. He was an old-fashioned copper who thought real police work was on the streets and not behind the desk. As a career focussed police officer, he was always determined for promotion, despite constantly being blocked for promotion by his superior Charles Brownlow. In his attempt for promotion, he transferred to the position of Community Liaison Officer (CLO) also based at Sun Hill in 1993, before being promoted to acting Superintendent in 1994. He was later demoted back to Chief Inspector of Operations in 1997.
As Sun Hill's trained hostage negotiator, his superb negotiating skills were used in many situations, in particular when he was able to persuade a mentally unhinged man not to torch a house belonging to his wife Sandra.
He was later killed in a car-bomb attack.[13] After his death, the station organised a memorial fund for him, but it didn't go as planned. PC Des Taviner gave Inspector Andrew Monroe £50 notes, but later realised they were counterfeit. He attempted to retrieve them, but Monroe had locked his door where they were kept. Taviner had another plan however – when Sun Hill was faced with a powercut, a petrol-bomb riot escalated at the station and Taviner threw one himself inside the Inspector's office, not knowing gas cylinders were there. As a result, the station went up in flames, killing Inspector Andrew Monroe, PC Ben Heyward, PC Di Worrell, PC Sam Harker, DC Kate Spears and DC Paul Riley.
Joseph Corrie
| Joseph Corrie | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Start With The Whistle (13/12/90) |
| Last appearance | Out of Order (15/10/91) |
| Portrayed by | Roland Oliver |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Sergeant Joseph Corrie was drafted into Sun Hill in 1990 when Tom Penny was in court facing charges of drink-driving. He worked alongside Sergeants Maitland and Peters on the A-Relief whilst Cryer was Duty Sergeant, and was a cop of the 'old school'. He was a quiet sort of bloke – genial and friendly, if a little absent minded. Corrie was only at the station for a few months, being later replaced by Sergeant Boyden. It is unknown what happened to Corrie, as he was never mentioned again.
Suzi Croft
| Suzi Croft | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Fagins (11 February 1993) |
| Last appearance | The Parent Trap (24 February 1998) |
| Portrayed by | Kerry Peers |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DC Suzi Croft arrived at Sun Hill in March 1993 as a WPC seconded to CID as a Trainee Investigator. Initially seen by her new colleagues as little more than a work experience girl, Suzi was undeterred, proved herself to be an insightful and gutsy officer, and gradually became an integral part of the CID team. Her rank changed to Detective Constable from uniform in the summer of 1994. She was never afraid of being confronted by something different, whether it was Burnside's unique policing methods, or the latest technology in the fight against crime. She spent most of her time at Sun Hill working on Operation Bumblebee under the supervision of DS Alistair Greig, whom she saw as something of a mentor. Caring, well-liked, yet also forthright, her no-nonsense attitude and spiky temper occasionally brought Suzi into conflict with other members of CID – the results of which sometimes earned her a mild rebuke from the DI. Her most notable adversary was DC Rod Skase, and working with him on a case almost always guaranteed fireworks. Yet despite this, there was never any real loathing between the two of them – indeed, Suzi's announcement of her departure distressed the notoriously macho Skase enough for him to attempt a genuine apology for his behaviour towards her. Suzi had the opportunity of a transfer to High Barnet CID in February 1998. Because they needed someone urgently, she had only a day in which to make up her mind. Discussing the matter with her best friend, DC Liz Rawton, she realised that although she would miss Sun Hill, the move would give her new career challenges, and so she decided to accept the offer.
Bob Cryer
| Bob Cryer | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Funny Ol' Business – Cops And Robbers (16/10/84) |
| Last appearance | Last Orders (30/9/04) |
| Portrayed by | Eric Richard |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
| Relatives | Robbie Cryer (niece) |
Sgt Bob Cryer joined the Metropolitan Police in 1970, and arrived at Sun Hill sometime in late 1983, possibly as a result of a recent promotion to Sergeant. Until the station introduced the rank of Inspector, he was the second highest ranking uniform officer. He had previously seen some sort of army service, unfortunately most of it leaving him with unpleasant memories. Cryer is a model officer. He cares passionately about his job and hates what he considers the "touchy-feely" approach of modern policing arguing that the role of the police is to "uphold and enforce the law". His trademark calm served him well when dealing with the harder edged visitors to the cells at Sun Hill. For many years he was a uniform sergeant. In 1991, he was briefly promoted to Duty Sergeant, but quickly found that he had no passion for it and that it was driving his former colleagues away from him, leading to him making the swift decision to return to uniform. His experience in all things policing led to him being in many ways the archetypal uniform officer, firm but fair to criminal and civilian alike. He was considered to be the father figure of the sergeants on the relief and a lot of the younger officers would come to him for advice on matters both professional and personal. Along the way he still discovered that you can never know everything – such as the time he shot and killed a suspect despite the suspect's gun later turning out to be unloaded. In his own private life he had a wife and two sons, one of whom was arrested and charged in relation to a driving offence which resulted in the death of the other occupant of the car. This led to an enforced sense of separation between him and his son, a topic which Cryer would still refuse to talk about when it was raised in later years.
Cryer played a pivotal role in the majority of episodes during the early series of The Bill. However, during the 1990s, his character, while still present in many episodes, was a less central figure. Typically, he would be seen carrying out his duties as Custody Sergeant. As the 1990s drew on, he was a central figure of storylines only from time to time.
As time drew on, many of Cryer's contemporaries such as Sergeant Tom Penny, Sergeant Alec Peters and even DI Burnside moved on to other jobs, or retired. He increasingly found himself as something of an anachronism, and became somewhat less indulging of what he saw as the stupid mistakes of newer officers.
One exception to this was PC Dale Smith. 'Smithy' had a similar background to Cryer, with both men having served in the army. Cryer developed something of a fatherly relationship with the younger officer, and was eventually the one who encouraged Smith to apply for the firearms squad. This came back to haunt him when, during a hostage situation, PC Smith accidentally shot his friend and mentor, which led to his forced retirement in 2001. New young Superintendent Tom Chandler did not like Bob Cryer. Everything that Cryer stood for was everything that this new broom wished to sweep away, and Cryer's injuries acted as a catalyst for this move. Typically, Cryer went out of his way to console PC Smith, and held no recrimination in his heart for the young officer. When Dale Smith came back to Sun Hill as a sergeant in 2003, there was more than a little bit of Bob Cryer's personality about him and the way he dealt with friends and foes alike. He had learned well from his mentor. Cryer returned to Sun Hill for the memorial service of Inspector Andrew Monroe, and to attend the funeral of Sgt Boyden. He later came back to help his niece Roberta, who was the station's front desk officer, solve a crime. His last service came in 2004, when he helped Jack Meadows solve the mystery behind DS Ted Roach's death. In the opening title sequence from the early 1990s, Cryer is famously seen shouting vociferously in double take at a standing colleague whilst sat at his desk
Roberta Cryer
| Robbie Cryer | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #033 (8/8/02) |
| Last appearance | Episode #180 (31/12/03) |
| Portrayed by | Moya Brady |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Station Reception Officer |
| Occupation | Civilian Police Staff |
| Relatives | Bob Cryer (uncle) |
Station Reception Officer Roberta Cryer is the niece of Sergeant Bob Cryer. She was popular and well-loved among the relief. When she was in a tight spot, she called upon the help of her uncle, Bob Cryer. At the end of her career, Roberta becomes one of Cathy Bradford's many targets when she starts to suspect the extent of Cathy Bradford's lies. Cathy finds out and threatens her. Later, Cathy phones into CAD and when Roberta answers, she pretends to have a stalker and beats herself up. Roberta ignores the call for 'urgent assistance' and subsequently gets discharged from the police. However, she later appears when the truth about Cathy finally comes out and she tells DC Brandon Kane all the lies she knew about Cathy. When Cathy finds out, she beats Robbie up. Shortly after this, Cathy is sectioned.
Alex Cullen
| Alex Cullen | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | On the Hook (Part 1) (3/11/00) |
| Last appearance | Episode #036 (20/8/02) |
| Portrayed by | Ged Simmons |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Inspector |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DI Alex Cullen arrived at Sun Hill with heavy baggage. He was seen as Chandler's unofficial hatchet man, and was the only direct appointment that Chandler had made. Cullen's persistence and commitment to the job meant that he earned the respect of the C.I.D officers. In the end, after a power struggle between him and Chandler, Cullen applied for the Murder Investigation Team. Unwilling to let him go, Chandler tried to block the move, but Cullen's knowledge of indiscretions in Chandler's past saw the move completed within days. On his leaving do, Cullen persuaded DC Duncan Lennox to join him.
D
Geoff Daly
| Geoff Daly | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Knocking on the Door (4/6/96) |
| Last appearance | All Fall Down – Part 2 (31/10/00) |
| Portrayed by | Ray Ashcroft |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DS Geoff Daly was an enthusiastic Yorkshireman with a wry sense of humour. He was a sensitive operator who thought cases through. His sensitivity could be very useful when it came to eliciting information from people, but he could also be tough when he needed to, and was not easily ruffled. Daly spent two years at the Area Training Unit and had been Sergeant for ten years. At forty-three he'd acquired a wealth of information useful for CID. Deakin hand-picked him for his team partly to use him as a sounding board. The others turned to him for the latest, up-to-date knowledge in all areas of crime. He specialised in Child Protection, having spent several years on the squad. He learnt how to be politically correct but may, in private, have had a different view of the world. Keane and Slater knew him from their probationers' crime tuition. He was enthusiastic, steady and no nonsense; more 'knowing' then wise. As a practical and capable officer he dealt with everyone from the same neutral distance. He had the measure of Boulton, Beech and Skase. As a family man he transferred to Training so he could spend more time with his children, but came to Sun Hill keen to get back on the job. Daly shared a tempestuous relationship with fellow DS Don Beech. He was often infuriated by the way Don used his charm to get results – chancing it, not playing it by the rules. Always wary of Don's methods, Daly became aware that he was corrupt, taking bribes and interfering with investigations. Though he came close to exposing Beech in Walking On Water, he never gathered enough substantial evidence to present to his senior officers. When Beech's corruption was uncovered by CIB, Daly had to be transferred away from the station in the 'clean sweep' of CID that proceeded.
Grace Dasari
| Grace Dasari | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Better Off Dead (14/6/07) |
| Last appearance | Respect – Part Two (31/08/10) |
| Portrayed by | Amita Dhiri |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DC Grace Dasari arrived in Sun Hill in June 2007. After completing her doctoral thesis on Criminology at the University of Oxford's Centre for Criminology, Grace joins the police to put her academic experience into practice. She is recently transferred from the Specialist Crime Directorate where she worked long term on Eastern European organised crime. Grace does not like comforting victims of crime, she is logical and joins the police force to put criminals behind bars, not to do social work. Grace analyses the evidence before her and makes logical deductions given the facts. Despite her disdain, Grace is a team player. She will play to her and the team's strengths. If she thinks a colleague can do a better job than her, she is a big enough person to pass it on. Grace won't be seen down the pub with the team at the end of the day. She didn't come to Sun Hill for a social life. In 2008, Grace meets an old flame from her study days – Sunil Davdra – who turns out to be the defence barrister for Dwayne Fox and Tito Morientes, two suspects in a murder case. Grace attempts to distance herself from Sunil, and it is obvious that they didn't part on the best of terms. Grace later developed a relationship with DI Neil Manson. She was upset that he did not tell her about his son's illness and felt betrayed by him. However, they soon make up and he asks her out on a date. They try to keep their romance quiet, but it is later discovered by DS Max Carter, who informs the whole team. Later, Neil tells Grace that he loves her.
Mike Dashwood
| Mike Dashwood | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | A Friend In Need (23/10/84) |
| Last appearance | Going For A Song (25/4/96) |
| Portrayed by | Jon Iles |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant (1996) Detective Constable (1984-1992) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DC Mike Dashwood's eight-year stint in Sun Hill CID marked a stable period for the department. His first DI, Roy Galloway left in 1988, and some years later, DCI Gordon Wray transferred from the station, as did his replacement DCI Kim Reid. Mike was taken hostage twice. Once by a madman called Bailey, who held Dashwood responsible for placing him in prison. Bailey made Dashwood stand on the roof, and wave to the officers down below. A shot was then heard, although it turned out that Bailey had turned the gun on himself. Shortly before he left, Dashwood was again taken hostage, this time by two young people who were robbing a magistrate, when Dashwood walked in on them. After he persuaded them to give the gun up, he revealed to the surprise of DS Roach, that he would speak up for them in court. Mike got on well with all his team. He was probably most like DS Alistair Greig in terms of personality. He also enjoyed working with the maverick DI Frank Burnside. Although intelligent, Dashwood seemed happy to stay at the rank of DC, it was not until 1992 that he finally decided to move on, transferring to the Art and Antiques Department in Scotland Yard. His last appearance was in 1996, by then a DS, when he was called in by his former colleague DC Carver to help on a local antique theft case.
Norika Datta
| Norika Datta | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Exit Lines (19/9/89) |
| Last appearance | The Whip Hand (9/7/98) |
| Portrayed by | Seeta Indrani |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
WPC Norika Datta, the cop with the super smile, was a favourite since she joined Sun Hill. During her sexual assault ordeal with PC Young, Norika's nerve held, just as it did during all the sticky moments she encountered during her stint at the station. Perhaps that was because she learned to listen and be tactful – she worked in a hairdresser's before she decided to become a police officer. It was a challenge to duck the occasional racist remarks from colleagues as well as to field abuse on the streets. She wasn't a flirt – that was why Young's approach came as such a surprise. And if she ever knew that Carver had a crush on her she didn't let on. But, then, she was a confident woman whose home life with her parents, Kenyan Asians who ran a newsagent's shop in Uxbridge, had always been secure. She had a white boyfriend, Peter, who was a sports teacher. When they went out in his sports-car, the thieves, vandals, non-coppers and no-hopers of the streets of Sun Hill seemed a long way away. At the start of 1993, Norika began working with the Domestic Violence Unit at Stafford Row and did extremely valuable work, especially where Asian women were involved. She learned to gain the trust of victims of abuse by never seeming to judge them – something which her boss Cato couldn't master. Her male colleagues took her for granted sometimes – offloading matters they suspected would be tedious on the grounds that if they involved women they must be domestic violence. Norika found the work so rewarding though that when she left Sun Hill it was to join the Crime Police Unit, developing guidelines on domestic violence.
Chris Deakin
| Chris Deakin | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Unfinished Business (02/08/94) |
| Last appearance | All Fall Down – Part 2 (31/10/00) |
| Portrayed by | Shaun Scott |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Inspector |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
Detective Inspector Chris Deakin arrived at Sun Hill police station as a Detective Sergeant, having been thrown out of the Flying Squad and forced to suffer the indignity of being disciplined by demotion because of his affair with a senior officer's wife. Deakin sought to resurrect his career at Sun Hill, but he found his path blocked by Detective Inspector Sally Johnson. Never keen on women superiors, Deakin succeeded in undermining her and quickly stepped into her shoes when she left. Deakin was adept and streetwise and had the confidence of a man who had done it all – he had nothing to prove. He presented a clean, quiet exterior which masked threat. If violence was needed, he'd use it, but he'd find the right time, the right place. He was a policeman of the old school and would never break the rules, though he was prepared to take chances if he thought he would get a result. Dedicated to his job, he was by no stretch of the imagination a 'bent' copper, but greatly resented the paperwork that tied up all the loose ends. His superior, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows, had time for him and actively interceded when he was in the soup. Deakin's final appearance saw him forcibly transferred from Sun Hill after Don Beech's corruption was uncovered.
Ramani De Costa
| Ramani De Costa | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #124 (25/6/03) |
| Last appearance | Episode #393 (23/2/06) |
| Portrayed by | Thusitha Jayasundera |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Sergeant (2003-2006) |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
DS Ramani De Costa, came to Sun Hill in 2003. A British native of Sri Lankan descent, Ramani comes across as warm, engaging, extremely bright, and very good at her job. Her witty, sarcastic sense of humour sometimes gets her into trouble with her colleagues, but she is incredibly sensitive with those she deals with. With fifteen years' experience behind her, Ramani was widely tipped for great things. She passed her sergeant's exams with ease and certainly ruffles a few feathers in CSU with her far more informed approach to sex offences. She is a specially trained expert in the field. Her enthusiasm and knowledge are a breath of fresh air in the department. However, she also has the contradictory mix of computer-like brainpower and scattiness. She is the sort of person who will pile up files on the floor because there is no room on her desk, and who breezes past in a whirl of Post-its. However she insists that she can tell you where everything is, maintaining order in apparent chaos. Ramani is often running late, but she is incredibly effective as a copper and has a real instinct, which serves her well and makes up for her lack of organisation most of the time. Ramani arrives quite rightly confident of her own abilities and soon finds herself running the show with some brilliant suggestions for the Unit. Some of her colleagues are initially jealous, but Ramani is not into putting anyone else down; she likes to be liked.
DC De Costa joined the Community Safety Unit to replace Brandon Kane after his transfer to CID, immediately throwing herself at a rape case. Her early work impressed senior officers including Adam Okaro, who made her a DS within weeks of joining, replacing June Ackland after she transferred back to uniform in the aftermath of a domestic abuse victim's death. When she went undercover as a counselor in a prison to assist friend Terry Perkins, undercover as a peadophile, a prison officer shared his suspicions that Terry was himself a victim of child abuse. She persuaded him to open up, however she became concerned when he went to confront his abuser, Malcolm Willard. While Terry didn't harm him, his brother Ben went after Willard and tried to drown him. When a sniper killed Willard, Ramani was horrified to think Terry could've been involved. In late 2004, Ramani encountered a bipolar mother called Margaret Barnes, who quickly grew obsessed with her. Barnes later became a cleaner at Sun Hill and was caught up in the 2005 station fire, but her Ramani's help guiding Barnes out of the burning building only worsened her obsession. After initially getting her transferred to another station, an argument outside CID saw Barnes fall down the stairs, and Ramani went on leave. When Ramani returned, she told Barnes to go see her doctor, which made her more unstable. She had Ramani arrested for harassment, yet Barnes acted as if all was normal when Ramani was bailed. When Ramani secured a transfer for Barnes, she went to Ramani's house and slit her wrists. When Terry showed up to try and help her he was stabbed in the stomach, however Barnes showed up to the station covered in blood and went to hospital. When a nurse noticed the blood wasn't just her own, Ramani raced to rescue Terry. Later in 2005, she was made into Acting DI to cover Neil Manson, who was covering for Jack Meadows (who in turn was filling in for Supt. Okaro). During her spell as Acting DI she and MIT's DI Morrell investigated the death of several nurses, but when she tracked down the suspect he abducted her, however she was rescued in time. Her relationship with Terry took a hit in mid-2005 when he began a relationship with his brother Ben's wife, however he eventually broke it off when her son disappeared. In early 2006, she became jaded in CSU after several exciting jobs assisting CID; investigating the abuse of a young girl, the DCI from the Child Abuse Investigation Team offered her a job after impressing him, which she accepted. She left Sun Hill after a heart to heart with Terry about why he'd be better off focusing on his children rather than a relationship with her.
Ken Drummond
| Ken Drummond | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #021 (27/6/02) |
| Last appearance | Episode #288 (23/2/05) |
| Portrayed by | Russell Floyd |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Detective Constable |
| Spouse | Fiona Drummond |
| Children | Alex Drummond |
DC Ken Drummond arrives at Sun Hill, shortly after the events of the first Sun Hill fire. Ken's trademark attire usually included a tropical-themed Hawaiian shirt. Ken is the man who you would always see with his feet up on the desk; while some might have called his style of policing "relaxed", a more appropriate term would be "lazy". His domestic life exhausted him; Ken has children spanning almost a generation, with the youngest eight months and the oldest nineteen years old, with all of them making equal demands of him, whether it be financial or emotional. Somewhere along the line, Ken found himself in a second relationship, and he did not have the heart to end his relationship with either woman. When more kids arrived on the scene, Ken found it harder to secretly play the family man to both families. This explains why Ken saw work as a refuge from his home life.
Upon his arrival at Sun Hill, Ken's unreliable police officer attitude made its presence felt. Food was always higher on his agenda than policing, and he would often be seen befriending the canteen staff, from whom he used to get preferential treatment. Ken can still bring in a collar with the best of them. Ken once made the mistake of spoiling himself when a large sum of unaccounted money mysteriously turns up in his bank account. He later found out it had been planted there by DS Phil Hunter, who was using it to keep Ken under his thumb. Forcing him to pay it back, Ken is forced to carry out deeds for him in the meantime, such as trashing the flat of a paedophile. When Ken started moonlighting as a security guard because of this, he was drawn into a serious crime syndicate, which ends up with him being shot. Upon finding out while in hospital his son has been kidnapped, Ken immediately goes after Hunter.
Ken was always popular among his colleagues, and shared close friendships with Sgt. June Ackland.
He lived with his wife Fiona Drummond and his son Alex Drummond.
He was killed by PCSO Colin Fairfax in the second fire.
Andrea Dunbar
| Andrea Dunbar | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode #197 (10/3/04) |
| Last appearance | Episode #289 (24/2/05) |
| Portrayed by | Natalie J. Robb |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Police Constable |
| Occupation | Police Officer |
PC Andrea Dunbar arrives at Sun Hill, seemingly the ideal mould for a probationer with a zest for the job and a willingness to learn. During her time at Sun Hill, Andrea begins an affair with the married DI Neil Manson, an affair which ended when Andrea died in the major fire at the police station. This, and the fact that she finds herself surprisingly good at the job, compromises Andrea's position as a journalist. It is later revealed that Andrea is a journalist, placed undercover at Sun Hill by her editor. She had undergone training at Hendon, in order to go undercover in the police force and write an investigative piece on whether or not the Metropolitan Police Service had become too soft on criminals after the Stephen Lawrence affair. It is her most challenging job to date, a story which is guaranteed to make her name, and she is determined to do it well. Initially, Andrea is very popular among the relief, serving as a close friend and confidant to PC Kerry Young among others. There are many times when she obtains inside scoops, providing stories to her editor such as details about Kerry's rape and the Sun Hill Serial Sniper. When Inspector Gina Gold asks her if she has anything to do with the stories, she points the finger at her much distrusted colleague PC Gabriel Kent. As her deadline gets closer and closer, she finds that she has become attached to her position as a copper, and she is now unsure whether she should run with the article she had set out to write. Sensing her uncertainty, her editor blows the whistle on her and her position to Superintendent Adam Okaro. With her role now out in the open, her past work comes back to haunt her when she gives evidence at the trial of serial rapist Alan Kennedy. The revelations that she is not a real police officer are disclosed, her evidence is discredited, and the case against Kennedy ultimately collapses. She then faced the wrath of DS Samantha Nixon who had spent months building up the case against Kennedy. Desperate for a chance to redeem herself, she makes one last effort to gather incriminating evidence against Gabriel, investigating his link with the serial sniper and attempting to tie him to the events. In the end she succeeds, only to end up being held hostage by him in a store room. The station goes up in flames, and Gabriel chooses to leave her there to die, along with all the evidence she has against him.
References
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