Chloe's Line of Duty HR blog - I knew it! S6 E4

The latest HR Faux pax throughout the latest episode of Line Of Duty.

Chloe's Line of Duty HR blog - I knew it! (S6, E4)

My favourite episode so far, mainly because it confirmed so many of my suspicions I’m thinking of starting a private detective agency.

Ooh the gall of Davidson calling Buckells a rotten apple! Glass houses Jo. She’s now acting Super but she doesn’t look very happy about it.

AC12 gets to put all of the allegations to a floundering Buckells - “I’m being victimised” “I’m a scapegoat” “it’s a fit up!” Just as I suspected, Arnott isn’t buying that Buckells could be the mastermind behind all of this corruption. No Steve, this buffoon definitely couldn’t organise a p*** up in a brewery. Actually, I felt a bit sorry for Buckells: he was like a big, confused baby by the end of that interrogation.

But not as sorry as I felt for Hastings. I knew it was coming but it was still frustrating to see. He’s being unceremoniously forced out of his position – take retirement, leave gracefully and he won’t have to face disciplinary action. Any real life employer worth their salt will know that for a long serving employee they would need to hold that as a protected conversation or risk a constructive dismissal claim. Employment law is a bit different for police, who can’t bring unfair dismissal claims, but I see a potential age discrimination claim lurking there for Hastings.

My next prediction also bore out – AC12 is to be reduced to virtually nothing and combined with other teams. Another starring role for HR, especially if 20 or more are out the door (collective consultation anyone, urgh). Arnott doesn’t realise just how sensible he’s been in keeping the door open to his transfer opportunity. That’s if it doesn’t all come tumbling down around him – occ health are on his case for an appointment following his drugs test, and he surely can’t ignore them forever.

Before all of that happens, can they close the net on the corruption in Operation Lighthouse? AC12 have evidence of Pilkington following, if not meeting with, Davidson. Davidson’s getting no response from her online penpal and she’s looking more and more worried. Fleming is still sticking up for Davidson, defies Hastings and gives her the heads up about Pilkington. But by the end of the episode she looks to be questioning her loyalties as Davidson tells her to drop her Pilkington hunt.

There follows a tense scene where Davidson tells Pilkington he’s going to be transferred out of the team. But he corrects her on that later on, gun to head – probably not the best way for an employee to make a request to their manager but it works for Pilkington, for now.

Enter Jimmy Lakewell, codename Winderemere (loving that by the way – can coming up with codenames be a job?) AC12 have a golden opportunity to crack Lighthouse. We all guessed things would end badly as the convoy, accompanied by tense music, picks him up and starts its journey. Were you really surprised when they were ambushed? An action packed gunfight sees another killed officer and, although he survived the ordeal, it did enough to scare Jimmy into silence again. It didn’t help him though, poor Jimmy dies an undignified and painful death in prison – and Buckells was forced to witness it all to ensure his silence. I’m not sure Buckells’ nerves will hold out. Davidson’s are nearing breaking point too as Pilkington delivers the line of the episode when asked what Jimmy’s cause of death was: “Being a rat, ma’am”.

And the episode ends on the biggest cliff-hanger yet as AC12 get the results from the forensic search at Jatri’s house. It confirms Davidson’s DNA was present so discredits her previous version of events. Then the killer piece of information, further DNA was found which matches someone on the police database, and that person is related to Davidson. His details are over the page and…we have to wait until episode 5 to find out who it is! Theories on a postcard…