NORTHUMBRIA Police are to feature in a new documentary series giving viewers an insight into the people behind the badge.

The first episode of the prime-time series Our Cops in the North will air on BBC One on Wednesday at 9pm.

The six-part series looks at the diverse and colourful characters working within the force who "consistently go above and beyond to protect the communities they serve".

Giving camera crews in-depth access to all aspects of the force, the series follows the men and women tasked with investigating a wide range of crimes across Northumbria, from murder to motorbike theft and poaching to pub fights.

Ranked the best Force for ‘customer satisfaction’ in the country, the 5,000 staff in Northumbria respond to more than 18,000 calls a week from across one of the UK’s most geographically diverse regions, covering more than 2,000 square miles of cities, coastline and open countryside.

Now the public will get an opportunity to see first-hand the human side of the officers and staff who are proud to protect every single day.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Winton Keenen said: “We are incredibly proud of those that work in the Force, who each have their own reasons and motivations for wanting to protect the communities they serve.

“This series is about those people who put themselves on the front-line every single day, and do so with humanity, humour and an unshakeable pride in their patch and the people who live in it.

“Northumbria is one of the most geographically diverse regions, from our rural officers responding to incidents in the isolated north to detectives leading large-scale investigations into violent crime in our major cities.

“We hope this documentary helps to showcase the character of Northumbria Police, the incredible professionalism of those who work in the Force, and the relationships they have with those living in our communities.”

Each of the three episodes will cover a week in the Force, following a crime from the moment of call-out and showing how officers and detectives gather evidence to lead to a possible conviction.

The programme is made by 72 Films and will air on the following three Wednesday evenings at 9pm on BBC One.

A further three episodes will also be aired later in the year.