WPC 56 is a Britishtelevision drama series, created and partly written by Dominique Moloney and broadcast on BBC One. The stories feature the first woman police constables to join Brinford Constabulary in 1956. Series one and two focus on Gina Dawson as she struggles to gain acceptance at a male-dominated police station and having to deal with the sexist attitudes that were commonplace at that time. The third series depicts the experiences of her successor at the station, Annie Taylor. Each series is a set of five episodes and broadcast on five consecutive afternoons, initially during March 2013, February 2014 and March 2015.
Synopses
Series 1
WPC 56 Gina Dawson lives at home with her parents, Joe and Brenda, in Brinford near Birmingham. This story set in 1956, revolves around the finding of a skeletonof a boy, a serial attacker of women and delving into the historical case of two missing boys. Dawson is appointed to be the first female police officer in Brinford police station where Chief Inspector Nelson gives her a small office, previously a storage room. She is told to stick to making tea, doing paperwork, dealing with children and women. She is told not to distract the men, who might seek to protect her in dangerous situations; they can deal with the important police work. She finds it hard to be taken seriously by her male colleagues and is shocked by the methods employed by Sergeant Fenton and the attitude of the rest of her fellow officers. She has a boyfriend, Frank Marshall.
Series 2
The second series revolves around a councillor's dead body and his missing girlfriend Rebecca Jones. Detective Inspector Jack Burns leaves the police to look after his sick wife and his daughters. He is replaced by a Londoner, Detective Inspector Max Harper. Inspector Nelson and Desk Sergeant Pratt are replaced by Briggs and Swift. Police Constable Eddie Coulson is on honeymoon with Cathy Sinclair. His father, now Assistant Chief Constable Coulson, has sexual designs on WPC Dawson. Sergeant Fenton has a daughter and is on friendly terms with the local brothel madam, Rosie Turner, and the crooked boxing promoter Lenny Powell. Cathy Sinclair is replaced by Susie Nightingale as the station secretary.
Series 3
The third series revolves round the shooting of a retired Brigadier and events at a secure hospital and the relationships of Inspector Briggs, his wife Charlotte, homosexual Carl Saunders and Coulson's desire to take control of the station and undermine those that know of his past misdemeanours. WPC Gina Dawson, having been cleared of all blame in a shooting, moves to the Metropolitan Police. Assistant Chief Constable Coulson reneges on his promise to Inspector Briggs that he will retire early after sexually molesting Dawson. WPC Annie Taylor, whose father is a retired Brinford police sergeant, replaces Dawson. She lives with her parents and knows how to handle her fellow officers. Sergeant Fenton returns to duty, after being shot, his confidence dented; which he tries to regain using Constable Perkins. Detective Inspector Harry Sawyer, a Jewish officer who is estranged from his mother, replaces DI Max Harper.
