"What'd he say this time?" Jack asked as Sandra came back from her monthly meeting with Strickland fuming.
"I don't understand that man, one minute he's telling us to keep our work here quiet and out of the press and the next he's told the BBC they can do a documentary on UCOS and the work we do." Sandra ranted.
"Surely there's confidentiality problems with that?" Brian asked.
"Feel free to go up stairs and tell him that Brian. I'm not stupid I've already raised that point and he said that they're going to change the names of people in the case we're working if that's what the people want. But it means that Strickland's picking a case that'll make him look good instead of proper police work and we'll have several camera men around us all our working hours."
"That's going to be a nice way to greet a witness or a suspect, they're going to think we're joking. No one will take the case seriously and more importantly who do they thinks going to watch it anyway?!"
"With all these historic cases coming to light with in the BBC and just celebs from the 80s they want to try get more units like us as its not as expensive and doesn't take from 'proper policing' and this is the way they think they're going to encourage other forces from around the country to open the same sort of thing."
"And that couldn't have been done through a conference between all the DAC's from across the country?" Jack asked.
"Apparently that's too simple for them, instead we let the whole of the country see what we're doing here."
"When does filming start?" Gerry asked when they were all more calm and past the practicalities of it.
"Monday, it gives us time to get the paperwork from our last case done and a bit of time at the weekend to relax." Sandra replied.
"Who does the editing?" Brian asked, "We don't want them showing anything that shows us in a bad light."
"Yeah, I don't want them getting my bad side." Jack replied sarcastically.
"I don't mean like that you idiot. I mean they can easily edit anything out and leave us looking bad."
"Yeah that's a good point Brian, I'll make sure we get a say."
"Right, Monday morning I want you all in earlier, the camera crew will be here for half 8 to fit sound packs to pick up what you're saying." Strickland said as he came waltzing through the door into the main office from the corridor.
"Yes sir, will we need to do the briefing before or after they arrive?" Sandra asked hoping the answer would be the latter as it meant an even earlier Monday morning.
"After, they want to see every aspect of UCOS from how you react to witnesses and your ideas down to how the four of you react to each other and how good the relationships between you are."
"Great." Gerry told Strickland sarcastically before he received a glance from Sandra which if looks could kill, would have killed him. "Do we get to know what case we're looking into at least?"
"I suppose it can't do harm, no researching though." Strickland told them and they all nodded. "Blaire Anderson, 22 year old physics student who did modelling in her spare time. Blaire was 7 months pregnant at the time of death, she was shot in the head at point blanc range, fortunately the baby was saved just in time and Blaire's parents have custody. No researching this case until Monday though." He told them and then walked out.
"Who'd murder a pregnant women?" Gerry asked as he shook his head in disgust.
"I don't know plenty of people do, partner who doesn't want to be a dad, parents who don't want their daughter having a baby, jealous ex's."
"You can go now if you want boys, I'm just filing the paperwork. I know none of us are wild about the prospect of being in a documentary but please do not show me up next week. No being late because I will not be afraid to scream and shout while they're here, in fact I may play up to the cameras."