Line of Duty

NB IN LATER EPS THIS DEVICE MIGHT SERVE FOR RECAPS.]

NB THE CITY IS NEVER MENTIONED BY NAME. THE LOCAL

CONSTABULARY IS NEVER MENTIONED BY NAME. ALL POLICE UNITS ARE

FICTITIOUS.

DESPATCHER:

Units en route. Flat 56, Regal

Court. Vehicles en route. Forward

units arriving Regal Court.

OSBORNE:

Silver Command, copy.

DESPATCHER:

Bronze Command same Southern 257.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, copy.

DESPATCHER:

Forward units on foot.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, copy.

OSBORNE:

I have Alpha team coming in low,

Bravo team high.

ARNOTT:

Silver, Southern 257, copy that.

Bravo overlooking, moving into

position.

OSBORNE:

Waiting on Gold. Order imminent.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, standing by. Bravo

seconds away.

OSBORNE:

Alpha sit rep.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 2.

ARNOTT:

Alpha in the building.

SMASH CUT TO:

1/1

INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. DAWN. DAY 1. 1/1

A fire door bursts in.

Muzzles of high-velocity rifles jab through.

Then come 6 burly blokes in bullet-proof vests.

They charge up dirty concrete steps.

Leading is SERGEANT COLIN BRACKLEY (mid-late 30s), wearing an

earpiece and microphone:

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

We’re in; going up.

The squad charge upstairs.

CUT TO:

1/2 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/2

Snipers scramble up onto the roof. They’re out of breath,

clearly rushing.

CUT TO:

1/3

INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/3

Brackley’s squad pass a door that reads FLOOR 1 and keep on

sprinting up the stairs.

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

ETA less than a minute -- we need a

decision.

CUT TO:

1/4

EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/4

On the other end of the radio is DETECTIVE SERGEANT STEVE

ARNOTT (late 20s), “Bronze Command”.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 3.

Police back-up and ambulances have established a temporary HQ

in the grounds of the block; another police vehicle skids in.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Southern 257, still waiting on the

order.

CUT TO:

1/5 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/5

Hyperventilating, the snipers scramble into position, and

quickly load their rifles.

CUT TO:

1/6 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/6

Arnott studies a clutch of surveillance photos and floor-

plans in his hand.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Fifth floor.

CUT TO:

1/7 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/7

The Firearms Squad keep on going, fit guys getting out of

breath as they go up another flight (door = FLOOR 2).

CUT TO:

1/8 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/8

Hyperventilating, the snipers train their rifles on a row of

flats, scanning through telescopic sights till they swing

onto a window, partially curtained, in which we can just make

out a dark-skinned man with his back to us.

CUT TO:

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 4.

1/9 INT. TOWER BLOCK. FLAT. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/9

Dark-skinned hands tie the waistband of combat trousers. The

man slips a bottle of coloured fluid into a thigh pocket.

CUT TO:

1/10 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/10

The squad get up to the next level (FLOOR 3).

CUT TO:

1/11 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/11

Arnott studies surveillance photos of the flats, a similar

view to that of the snipers.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Southern 257. Bravo, are you

visual?

CUT TO:

1/12 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/12

The snipers struggle to get a clear view; the flat interior

is partially obscured by curtains and washing, and by the

occupant’s movements out of view.

SNIPER:

(Into mike.)

Negative.

CUT TO:

1/13 INT. TOWER BLOCK. FLAT. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/13

A black strap gets pulled across the man’s front. He ties the

buckle very tight.

CUT TO:

1/14 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/14

The squad reach the fourth floor.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 5.

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

Where’s that bloody order?

CUT TO:

1/15 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/15

Arnott gets a buzz in his headset.

OSBORNE (O.S.)

Southern 257, Gold confirms: shoot

to kill.

ARNOTT:

(Hesitates. Into mike.)

Say again.

OSBORNE (O.S.)

Shoot to kill.

Arnott looks very uneasy.

CUT TO:

1/16 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/16

The squad jog up towards the next landing. A door is signed

FLOOR 5. The squad pause for breath, gasping, but at

attention, guns at the ready.

BRACKLEY:

(Finger to earpiece, into

mike.)

We’re there, what’s the bloody -

CUT TO:

1/17 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/17

Arnott must overcome his misgivings.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

It’s Go.

(Consulting floorplan.)

Out of the door, turn right.

CUT TO:

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 6.

1/18 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. DAY 1. 1/18

Brackley doesn’t hesitate.

BRACKLEY:

(Quietly.)

Go, go, go!

The squad slip through the door.

CUT TO:

1/19 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. WALKWAY/FLAT 56. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/19

The squad creep out into eerie dawn light and Brackley turns

them right.

CUT TO:

1/20 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/20

Through the sniper’s sight, we see the squad scuttle along a

walkway.

CUT TO:

1/21 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. WALKWAY. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/21

Brackley keeps moving, looking down 5 floors to a concrete

car park in which more vehicles in the police convoy roll up

quietly, back-up officers slipping out in eerie silence.

CUT TO:

1/22 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/22

Arnott double-checks between the floor plans and the photos.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Flat 56. Flat 56.

CUT TO:

1/23 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. WALKWAY. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/23

Brackley reaches a flat door signed 56 -- he takes up a

position on the far side while the rest of the team form up.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 7.

A couple of the squad apply plastic explosive to the door and

set up to detonate.

At the same time, Brackley snatches a glimpse through a

window into the flat.

BRACKLEY’S POV:

In a bedroom doorway a young Muslim man (KARIM ALI, 20s)

stands with his back to Brackley’s pov, tightening thick

black straps that run over his shoulders and loop round his

back and waist.

BRACKLEY:

Christ -- he’s already armed the

bomb.

They look very wary but all it takes is a nod from Brackley.

They detonate the plastic explosive. The door blows off its

hinges.

Brackley leads the squad through a curtain of smoke. The

smoke shows us the red laser target beams from their weapons.

Red laser dots mottle Karim’s head. The squad squeeze their

triggers just as Karim turns in terror -

-- revealing a baby strapped to his front --

-- the straps are a baby sling.

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