Channel 4 works with Home Office to upend public’s police perceptions
Broadcaster Channel 4 has entered into an exclusive partnership with the Home Office to counter widely-held stereotypes and perceptions of the police to drive recruitment from underrepresented sections of society.
A series of branded films produced by 4Studio will convey this message to audiences across the network’s social, digital and linear channels for a full spectrum push reaching out to groups, such as the Black and LGBT+ communities, to show that a career in the police is possible.
Untold: The Police cuts to the chase with a bold depiction of individuals who had dismissed a career in the force being interviewed by serving police officers from within their community.
Exploding caricatures in favor of hard reality, the resulting unscripted conversations lay bare the prejudices and social challenges that hold people back, such as a fear of perception from friends and family amid widespread distrust.
To engage audiences, a series of 30-second teaser ads have been created from edits of the new series, which will also run as a digital campaign on All4 in an interactive format with links to the full-length campaign.
These activities will dovetail with themed ‘blue light’ programming sponsored by the Home Office as the government department seeks to make good on its pledge to recruit 20,000 additional officers over the next three years under its broader Make Your Difference campaign.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse MP commented: “The government’s push to recruit 20,000 extra officers gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make the police more representative of the communities they serve and ensure they are drawing from the full range of talent that this country has to offer.
“To do this, we need to be bold, honest and tackle difficult issues head on.”
Untold: The Police is produced by Armoury London in collaboration with 4Studios.
Content created with:
The Home Office
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