Line of Duty

***Line of Duty*** is a British police procedural television series created by Jed Mercurio that premiered on 26 June 2012. It is the most popular drama series broadcast on BBC Two in the multichannel era and is a winner of the Royal Television Society Award for Best Drama Series. Line of Duty was included in a list of the Top 50 BBC Two shows of all-time, in a list of the 80 best BBC shows of all time and was the highest ranked current series in a list of the best cop shows of all time.

## Main cast and characters

### AC-12 personnel

* Martin Compston as Detective Sergeant / Detective Inspector Steve Arnott (series 1-)

Arnott is a detective inspector assigned to AC-12, the anti-corruption unit within Central Police. He initially served as an anti-terrorism officer, but was transferred after he refused to collude with his fellow colleagues following the shooting death of an innocent man. During series three, Arnott is accused of being a gangland informant known as The Caddy, framed for the murder of DI Lindsay Denton, and is later arrested. He is cleared of all charges.
* Vicky McClure as Detective Inspector Kate Fleming (series 1-)

Fleming is originally a detective constable and an undercover specialist. A consummate professional, Kate is willing to investigate officers both within, and outside of, AC-12. In series two, Kate begins investigating DI Lindsay Denton. She is promoted to Sergeant at the end of series three. Kate has a son, though her ex-husband retains custody. She is promoted to Inspector between series four and five.
* Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings (series 1-)

Hastings, a police superintendent, is the Senior Investigating Officer of AC-12. He personally recruited Arnott, Fleming, and Cottan, and has a black-and-white view of the law. In series three, it is revealed that Hastings is a Freemason, which causes both Arnott and Fleming to doubt his commitment to AC-12.
* Craig Parkinson as Detective Inspector Matthew "Dot" Cottan (series 1-3)

Originally a DS attached to TO-20, Cottan transfers to AC-12 at the close of the Tony Gates investigation. Acting as Fleming and Arnott's supervising officer, Cottan oversees numerous anti-corruption investigations, though he is later revealed to be the notorious "Caddy". In series 3, he shoots and kills Lindsay Denton, and is later shot and killed himself.
### AC-12 suspects

* Lennie James as Detective Chief Inspector Anthony "Tony" Gates (series 1)

As the head of the serious crime unit TO-20, Tony Gates is renowned for returning the best crime figures of any unit in Central Police. It is this reputation, however, that leads AC-12 to his team. Suspected of corruption, Gates faces an internal affairs investigation that adds further complications to his troubled home-life.
* Keeley Hawes as Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton (series 2-3)

Denton finds herself at the centre of an AC-12 investigation following the ambush of a convoy that resulted in the deaths of several police officers. As the sole survivor, Denton is arrested and charged shortly thereafter. During series 2, Denton attempts to convince AC-12 of her innocence and regain her reputation. In series 3, Denton is granted an appeal trial, and is acquitted on the basis of an improper sexual relationship with Arnott. After refusing to accept a bribe, she is murdered by "The Caddy", a corrupt officer. Prior to her death, Lindsay discovered crucial evidence pertaining to the Danny Waldron murder investigation and historical child sex abuse.
* Daniel Mays as Sergeant Daniel Waldron (series 3)

Danny is an armed police officer who is investigated by AC-12 as a matter of routine following an on-the-job shooting. When Arnott and Fleming discover the shooting may not have been necessary, however, a deeper investigation is required. Danny is shot and killed during series 3, with his death leading to the capture of "The Caddy", as well as the opening of an investigation into historic child sex abuse.
* Thandiwe Newton as Detective Chief Inspector Roseanne "Roz" Huntley (series 4)

Acting as Senior Investigating Officer of Operation Trapdoor, Huntley finds herself at the centre of an AC-12 investigation for mishandling evidence. During a short interim in her leadership of the case, she becomes Duty S.I.O. of Major Crimes, and must head the investigation into the death of a Forensics Specialist named Tim Ifield.
* Kelly Macdonald as Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson (series 6)

Joanne Davidson replaces DCI Billy McTulloch as the Senior Investigating Officer on Operation Lighthouse, a month into the investigation into the murder of journalist Gail Vella. She is controlled by "The Fourth Man" both electronically and through fellow corrupt officer Ryan Pilkington to supress the enquiry, and builds a case to wrongfully convict Terry Boyle for the murder. After helping set up a failed attempt on the life of DCI Kate Fleming on the orders of H and under coercion from Ryan Pilkington, her collusion with the OCG is exposed. Under questioning by AC-12 it is revealed that she is the daughter of notorious former OCG boss Tommy Hunter, who is also her uncle. A fact she is unaware of, believing her father to instead be a corrupt police officer. After an attempt to kidnap her during a prison transport from HMP Brentiss to Hillside Lane Station, she realises continuing to stay silent will not guarantee her safety and reveals she believed convicted former Chief Superintendent Patrick Fairbank to have been her father. For disclosing information to AC-12 she receives immunity from prosecution and is enrolled on witness protection.
## Supporting cast and characters

### AC-12 personnel

* Jessica Raine as Detective Constable Georgia Trotman (series 2)

Assigned to AC-12 following a stint as a patrol officer, Trotman is partnered with Steve Arnott during the initial stages of the Lindsay Denton investigation. She is later pushed from a hospital window and killed.
* Polly Walker as Gill Biggeloe (series 3)

Following the Lindsay Denton investigation, Biggeloe - legal counsellor to the Police and Crime Commissioner - is assigned to AC-12 in order to ensure its credibility is maintained.
* Maya Sondhi as Police Constable Maneet Bindra (series 3-5)
* Royce Pierreson as Detective Constable Jamie Desford (series 4)

### TO-20 personnel

* Neil Morrissey as DC Nigel Morton (series 1-3)
* Claire Keelan as DS Leah Janson (series 1)
* Nigel Boyle as DI / DCI Ian Buckells (series 1, 4,6)
* Faraz Ayub as DC Deepak Kapoor (series 1)

### Armed Response personnel

* Arsher Ali as PC Harinderpal "Hari" Bains (series 3)
* Leanne Best as PC Jackie Brickford (series 3)
* Will Mellor as PC Rod Kennedy (series 3)
* Lisa Palfrey as Insp. McAndrew (series 3)

### Operation Trapdoor personnel

* Jason Watkins as FC Tim Ifield (series 4)
* Claudia Jessie as DC Jodie Taylor (series 4)
* Mark Stobbart as DS Neil Twyler (series 4)

### Other police personnel

* George Costigan as Chief Supt. Patrick Fairbank (series 3)
* Paul Higgins as Chief Supt. (series 1) / ACC (series 4) Derek Hilton (series 1, 4)
* Owen Teale as Chief Insp. Philip Osborne (series 1)
* Tony Pitts as DCS Lester Hargreaves (series 2, 4)
* Christina Chong as DS Nicola Rogerson (series 2)
* Mark Bonnar as DCC Mike Dryden (series 2)
* Steve Toussaint as C/Supt. Mallick (series 2)
* Sacha Dhawan as DS Manish Prasad (series 2)
* Aiysha Hart as DS Sam Railston (series 3-4)
* Shaun Parkes as C/Supt. Terry Reynolds (series 3)

### Other supporting cast and characters

* Gina McKee as Jackie Laverty (series 1)
* Kate Ashfield as Jools Gates (series 1)
* Saffron Davies as Chloe Gates (series 1)
* Brian McCardie as Tommy Hunter (series 1-2)
* Liz White as Jo Dwyer (series 2)
* Jonas Armstrong as Joe Nash (series 3)
* Lee Ingleby as Nick Huntley (series 4)
* Gaite Jansen as Hana Reznikova (series 4)
* Scott Reid as Michael Farmer (series 4)
* Patrick Baladi as Jimmy Lakewell (series 4)
* Christopher Wilson as Chief Superintendent (Series 1)

## List of series

 **Series Two** | 6
 **Series Three** | 6
 **Series Four** | 6
 **Series Five** | 6