The police are searching for an armed gang who robbed a bank and injured the bank manager and by-standers. An anonymous tip-off one evening has Dock Green's finest springing into action. With firearms issued to them, a team - headed by Detective Inspector Andy Crawford of the CID, raid a residential property where the crooks are supposedly hiding with firearms of their own.
What happens next results in one of the suspects fatally shot, the other two arrested, no weapons found on or around the premises and the media asking questions about the police's handling of the situation.
Police Sergeant George Dixon, who authorised the issue of the firearms, and Crawford and his team all spend a long night answering to their superior and accounting for their actions.
A compelling piece of drama, highlighting how the police continually walk a tightrope, always being just a step away from disaster no matter how hard they may try to do the right thing. Although it had long moved into more serious coverage of crime and policing after its soap opera style origins, Dixon of Dock Green generally tried to avoid shoot-outs or high-speed car chases for its thrills. This episode tries to show the reality behind the police use of firearms. I can't vouch for how well it adheres to procedures of the early 1970s, certainly nowadays dedicated armed response units would handle this sort of scenario rather than the normal station staff being issued with guns (but no bullet-proof vests!). But it certainly succeeds in conveying the gravity of responsibility an officer has when carrying a gun, that many crime series disregard.
N J Crisp had already churned out dozens of scripts for the series, so praise indeed to him for still being able to pen another winner. This one contains a rare instance of George and Andy having a strong difference of opinion. Although Jack Warner was frequently criticised for being too old for the role, here he certainly shows he is still an asset to the series with a powerful performance.
The eventual tracking down of the informant seemed a little too easy and convenient, but forgivable considering the need to keep within a 50-minute length and it certainly doesn't detract too much from the overall episode. 9 out of 10.
What happens next results in one of the suspects fatally shot, the other two arrested, no weapons found on or around the premises and the media asking questions about the police's handling of the situation.
Police Sergeant George Dixon, who authorised the issue of the firearms, and Crawford and his team all spend a long night answering to their superior and accounting for their actions.
A compelling piece of drama, highlighting how the police continually walk a tightrope, always being just a step away from disaster no matter how hard they may try to do the right thing. Although it had long moved into more serious coverage of crime and policing after its soap opera style origins, Dixon of Dock Green generally tried to avoid shoot-outs or high-speed car chases for its thrills. This episode tries to show the reality behind the police use of firearms. I can't vouch for how well it adheres to procedures of the early 1970s, certainly nowadays dedicated armed response units would handle this sort of scenario rather than the normal station staff being issued with guns (but no bullet-proof vests!). But it certainly succeeds in conveying the gravity of responsibility an officer has when carrying a gun, that many crime series disregard.
N J Crisp had already churned out dozens of scripts for the series, so praise indeed to him for still being able to pen another winner. This one contains a rare instance of George and Andy having a strong difference of opinion. Although Jack Warner was frequently criticised for being too old for the role, here he certainly shows he is still an asset to the series with a powerful performance.
The eventual tracking down of the informant seemed a little too easy and convenient, but forgivable considering the need to keep within a 50-minute length and it certainly doesn't detract too much from the overall episode. 9 out of 10.