History Series / PoliceCameraAction

** The 2007 episode ''Under Surveillance'' ([[Series/BigBrother Big Brother in real life]] with closed-circuit television.]]

* RailroadTracksofDoom: Used in a 1996 episode entitled ''Driven to Distraction'' when they were showing footage of drivers racing across railway tacks.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: This trope is used:

Well, technically, not so much missing episodes in the way ''Series/DoctorWho'' has them, but rather rarely-broadcast ones. There are a lot of episodes that don't get broadcast. (See the section below). When they '''do''' air them, the episodes are usually cut for timing reasons, or to make room for commercials, and rarely, if ever broadcast in their original form. Only a select few do get aired uncut. Some episodes have footage replaced due to clearance issues concerning the police forces who supply them - obtaining the footage [[CrackIsCheaper is expensive]], and legally it can't be shown for entertainment purposes (which is why the show needs to have AnAesop [[StrictlyFormula every]] episode, [[{{Anvilicious}} because this show is a semi-educational show, not an entertainment one]].

Although (it is believed) ITV have no plans to release this on DVD, the show exists on torrent sites, leading to a mass influx of the web version of KeepCirculatingTheTapes. Releasing it on DVD would stop this trade, and give fans a legal outlet for acquiring it. However, it would have to be a BoxedSet
[[{{Fandom}} for obvious reasons]] - they did this with other series.

* ImpossibleTask: [[http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/the-liver-run/ ''The Liver Run.'']] [[EscortMission Two Metropolitan Police Units must travel 29 miles in 35 minutes]], thru heavy London traffic (in 1987) to deliver a liver to a hospital for transplanting. If they fail to reach the hospital in time, [[GameOver they are told to abort the run.]] [[spoiler:[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome They make it with 5 minutes to spare,]] [[HappyEnding and the recipient of the liver survives the operation]].]]

* RefugeInAudacity: One of the show's reasons for its existence, or so a fansite would have you believe!
* RoleEndingMisdemeanor: Later subverted.

* TheNthDoctor: OK, so it's a documentary and not a genre you would expect this trope, but Adrian Simpson is one such example.
* TheOtherDarrin: Used twice. First of all, Gethin Jones in the 2008 [[{{VerySpecialEpisode}} Very Special Episode]] ''Drink Driving Special'', and possibly for the new 2010 series too.
** Gethin Jones is doing a series of 4 episodes again.
** Also, Adrian Simpson from the 2007-2008 series is himself an [[TheOtherDarrin Other Darrin]].

** This show can be credited with making this trope no longer a DiscreditedTrope or a DeadHorseTrope.

!Reruns
The show currently airs on ITV4 and on Creator/{{ITV}}1 for some episodes. On ITV4 the reruns are of Series 1 - 4 (1994-2002) in the morning, usually between 6:25am - 10:25am (hours vary) and also of Series 5 from 6:00pm onwards (London time, GMT). However, the episodes are often shown OutOfOrder, and some episodes are not shown, many rarely in their original form.
The show is on hiatus at the moment in terms of new episodes, but some [[VerySpecialEpisode Very Special Episodes]] are to air later in 2010 on [=ITV1=], with repeats on ITV4.

[[{{Fandom}} for obvious reasons]] - they did this with ''Series/TheWire''.

* ClipShow: Seen in ''Crash Test Racers'', ''Highway of Tomorrow'', ''Ultimate Pursuits'' and ''Britain's Most Dangerous Roads'', ''Ultimate Bad Drivers'', ''Ultimate Boy Racers'', ''Ultimate Car Crimes'' and ''Car Tech Maniacs''. Possibly the new 2010 series as well (mentioned at beonscreen.com). Subverted by ''Don't Look Back In Anger'' and ''Learning The Hard Way''.

* LostAesop: As seen in the episodes ''Nowhere to Hide'', ''Under Surveillance'' and ''Speed''. Well, so the fan sites were claiming.

** The 1996 episode ''The Man Who Shot OJ'' was totally helicopter-based, featured TalkingHead interviews and was mainly ADayInTheLimelight for Bob Tur (although Alastair remained as presenter, he was OutOfFocus and DemotedToExtra for this two-parter).

* FollowTheLeader: Encouraged ''The World's Wildest Police Videos'' with Sheriff John Bunnell in 1997 as a sort of [[DuellingShows competitor]]

[[{{Fandom}} for obvious reasons]] - they did this with ''TheWire''.

* AlternateContinuity: Whilst [[ShrugOfGod not confirmed]] at all by WordOfGod, some of the {{Fandom}} consider the 2007-2008 Alastair Stewart and Adrian Simpson episodes, and the 2008 and 2009-2010 Gethin Jones series as being in their own separate continuities. Some fans consider the 2007-2008 series to be in an AlternateContinuity, but taking BroadStrokes with it.
* AnAesop: This is rather more of an EnforcedTrope for the show, and that is the main focus of the 1994-1996 series. In 1998, 2000 and 2008, 2011 it went into VerySpecialEpisode territory.

* AuthorTract: With the exception of the 2010 special ''When Lorries Become Lethal'', this is basically the crux of 2010's [[VerySpecialEpisode Very Special Episodes]]
* BlackComedy: If you consider driving and road rage as black humour, then the narration qualifies as this.

* ClumsyCopyrightCensorship: Footage from a 1995 episode is referred to in the 2008 episode ''Ultimate Bad Drivers'' as "As we've seen before on Police, Camera, Action!" but the original episode has had the clips removed in reruns for legal reasons.
** Other "edited" episodes aired have clips removed for legal reasons, and/or replaced with an alternative clip/piece of footage, new narration, but then they sometimes alternate and reshow the full unedited episode.
** Happens to the episodes:
** ''Danger Drivers Ahead'' (two versions)
** ''Tales of the Unexpected'' (footage cut-out, but shown in book accompanying the show!)
** ''Road to Nowhere'' (end music changed)
** ''Enough's Enough'' (footage removed)
** ''A Lorry Load of Trouble'' (4 pieces of footage cut)
** ''On The Buses''
** ''The Unprotected''
** ''Crash Test Racers'' (split into Part 1/Part 2, sometimes also shown as 60-minute episode with part of [[{{TitleSequence}} Title Sequence]] cut off)
** ''Getting Their Man''
** ''Deathwish Drivers'' (sometimes has alternate footage used)
* ChristmasEpisode: The 2008 episode ''Drink Driving Special'' presented by Gethin Jones.

* {{Eyecatch}}: Plain and simple, but despite a DVD campaign for this show, fans still want these retained. (the Part 1/Part 2 bits before the ad break)
** Could be seen as {{Fridge Logic}}, possibly?

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Unfortunately, it can be downloaded off torrent sites... [[{{Better on DVD}} due to no DVD version being in existence]].
** There are, according to fansites, arguments for it being on DVD.
* LampshadeHanging: Often does this, with lines like "Despite what you see in the movies...", "Despite what you see on TV" or variants.

* MissingEpisode: Mainly the following episodes (year of episode in brackets, much to fans' chagrin:
** Police Stop! (also full unedited version of Danger Drivers Ahead! from 1994 pilot version of series)
** Helicops (1995, but the unrelated 2007 episode of the same title '''does''' get aired. Never happens to the episode Safety Last which was part of the 1995 series, and the original 1995 episode does get aired, as well as the unrelated 2007 series episode).
** Don't Look Back In Anger - uncontroversial road-safety episode from November 1997, rarely if-ever aired.
** Learning the Hard Way - series finale of 1998 series, last-seen on ITV 17th January 1999, but not aired since then.
** Danger Ahead - from the 2000 series, but bizarrely never aired in syndication. Last aired on ITV 7th August 2000 but not shown since then.
** Ford (alternate title The Fords) - last seen on ITV 7 January 2002 but it hasn't been aired since then.
*** Fans still want these episodes aired.
* MushroomSamba: The guy in the 2007 episode ''Bad Influences'' who thinks he's a CIA agent.
** Not to mention the DUI tests in the 1995 episode ''International'', 1996 episode ''International Patrol'', 2002 episode ''Under the Influence''.
* NonAppearingTitle: For the second episode of the 1994 series and the 2008 episode ''Drink Driving Special''.
* OopNorth: The 2007 series, when the show went out on patrol with Greater Manchester Police and South Yorkshire Police.
* OutOfOrder: The episodes have been aired out of order for the past three or four years now on ITV and its sister channel ITV4.
* {{Pixellation}}: Wasn't used in the first series (1994-1996). Used from 1997 onwards though.
** Always done to license plates.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: On more than one occasion. Shown in the graveyard slot but now is on daytime on ITV4.
** Now back on [=ITV1=] for 4 episodes = 4 weeks worth!
* ShoutOut: ''"And next time, let's be careful out there..."'' - a nod to ''Series/HillStreetBlues''
** In the episode "Ultimate Pursuits" the entire episode was a ShoutOut to ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture''.
** The 1997 episode "Don't Look Back In Anger" and the 1998 VerySpecialEpisode "LearningTheHardWay" which aired on 17th January 1999, both were [[ShoutOut Shout Outs]] to something, although, what, exactly, isn't known...
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: This trope is used with increasing regularity, namely:

* SpaceWhaleAesop: Shown in the episode ''Helicops'' in 1995, and ''Death Wish Drivers'' in 2007, where the consequences of stealing an ambulance result in crashing into a pedestrian footway on a housing estate with the police dog unit after you.
* StandAloneEpisode: The 2008 episode ''Drink Driving Special'' with {{Gethin Jones}} is this, with no connection to newer or older series.
* StockFootage: Used extensively from the 1997 series onwards.

* ImpossibleTask / CrowningMomentOfAwesome: [[http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/the-liver-run/ ''The Liver Run.'']] [[EscortMission Two Metropolitan Police Units must travel 29 miles in 35 minutes]], thru heavy London traffic (in 1987) to deliver a liver to a hospital for transplanting. If they fail to reach the hospital in time, [[GameOver they are told to abort the run.]] [[spoiler:[[HappyEnding They make it with 5 minutes to spare, and the recipient of the liver survives the operation]].]]

** Now back on ITV1 for 4 episodes = 4 weeks worth!

The show currently airs on ITV4 and on ITV1 for some episodes. On ITV4 the reruns are of Series 1 - 4 (1994-2002) in the morning, usually between 6:25am - 10:25am (hours vary) and also of Series 5 from 6:00pm onwards (London time, GMT). However, the episodes are often shown OutOfOrder, and some episodes are not shown, many rarely in their original form.
The show is on hiatus at the moment in terms of new episodes, but some [[VerySpecialEpisode Very Special Episodes]] are to air later in 2010 on ITV1, with repeats on ITV4.

* ImpossibleTask / CrowningMomentOfAwesome: [[http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/the-liver-run/ ''The Liver Run.'']] Two Metropolitan Police Units must travel 29 miles in 35 minutes, thru heavy London traffic (in 1987) to deliver a liver to a hospital for transplanting. [[spoiler:[[HappyEnding They make it with 5 minutes to spare, and the recipient of the liver survives the operation]].]]

* ImpossibleTask / CrowningMomentOfAwesome: ''The Liver Run.'' Two Metropolitan Police Units must travel 29 miles in 35 minutes, thru heavy London traffic (in 1985) to deliver a liver to a hospital for transplanting. [[spoiler:[[HappyEnding They make it with 5 minutes to spare, and the recipient of the liver survives the operation]].]]

** The 2007 episode ''Under Surveillance'' ([[{{Big Brother}} Big Brother in real life]] with closed-circuit television.]]

* EditedForSyndication:
** Recently, the 2007 series has done this - the episode ''Deathwish Drivers'' has not one, but '''two''' edited versions - the first one having a crash sequence from the United States of America involving a Toyota Prius, whilst the second edited version that sequence is replaced by a chase of a stolen red car in Bedfordshire. Apparently, the two clips ''are'' together in the same episode, but the original version of ''Deathwish Drivers'' is considered a MissingEpisode.
** Also the same for the 2007 episode ''Less Lethal Weapons'', although it should really be unedited and InMemoriam instead.
** The 1994 episode ''Danger! Drivers Ahead'' has two edited versions; one full-length, the other is edited. Plus the original version, entitled ''Police Stop!'' which is considered a {{Missing Episode}}.
** The 1995 episode ''Tales of the Unexpected'' has been edited from original version, with 4 - 6 clips of footage removed for some unexplained reason. However, these survive in the published version of the show.
** The 1996 episode ''Road to Nowhere'' gets the end music changed - it is normally "The Magic Roundabout"'s theme tune but it gets changed to generic orchestra music for re-broadcasts
** The 1997 episode ''Enough's Enough'' also gets re-edited, with footage cut out, and a different version of the end music ({{Martha and the Vandellas}} Nowhere to Run is replaced by a {{Cover Version}}.)
** The 1997 episode ''A Lorry Load of Trouble'' has 4 pieces of footage cut out in re-airings.
** The 1998 episode ''On The Buses'' (no relation to {{On The Buses}} the TV show) has 4 pieces of footage removed in recent {{repeat}}s. No explanation is ever given for this, but fans of the show have noticed the re-edited episodes.
** The 1998 episode ''The Unprotected'' has the '''very last bit of footage''' cut out before the end.
** The 2000 {{Very Special Episode}} ''Crash Test Racers'' actually cut off part of the {{Title Sequence}}. Some fans consider this {{Executive Meddling}}.
** The episode ''Getting Their Man'' from the 2000 series had the music changed from Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" to "The Stripper" by Joe Loss and his Orchestra.
** However, the rest of the episodes seem to be unchanged, no trimmed-down versions.
** This is apparently done for legal reasons.

* BlackComedy: If you consider driving and road rage as black humour...

** But for the 2010 series airing 29th July, there are only 4 episodes.
* BrokenAesop: Well, sometimes...
* [[TheCameo Celebrity Cameo]]: The (sadly missed) Robbie Burns makes an appearance.

* CluelessAesop: The episodes ''Rust Buckets'' from 1998.
* ClumsyCopyrightCensorship: Footage from a 1995 episode is referred to in the 2008 episode ''Ultimate Bad Drivers'' as "As we've seen before on Police, Camera, Action!"..." but the original episode has had the clips removed for legal reasons.

* FollowTheLeader: Encouraged ''The World's Wildest Police Videos'' with Sheriff John Bunnell!
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Not deliberate. Mostly bleeped out.
* GreenAesop: The 2007 episode ''Eco Unfriendly'' is basically this.
* HardDrinkingPartyGirl: Not gratuitous, but rather more of an Aesop on drink-driving for women. The episode ''Drink Driving Special'' in December 2008 is an example.

* LongRunner: 16 years and still going...

** Danger Ahead - from the 2000 series, but bizarrely never aired in syndication. Last aired on ITV 7th August 2000

* PimpedOutCar: The 2007 episode ''Street Illegal'' and then 2008 episode ''Ultimate Boy Racers''. Yes, really. UpToEleven.
* PunBasedTitle: On more than a few occasions.
* RailroadTracksofDoom: Used in a 1996 episode entitled ''Driven to Distraction''.

* StandAloneEpisode: The 2008 episode ''Drink Driving Special'' with {{Gethin Jones}}.
* StockFootage: Used extensively from 1998 onwards.
** Play a drinking game during the episodes ''Speed'' (1998 series) and ''Crash Test Racers'' (2000 series) with this.

* TheMountainsOfIllinois: Since when were Cheadle, the A6144 near Sale in Lancashire? (OK, so place-name books do mention Sale in Lancashire, but not since 1975!)
** It's made in London by London-based hacks who know bugger all about anything on the wrong side of the M25 except that it's OopNorth somewhere. What can you expect?
* TheNthDoctor: OK, so it's a documentary, but Adrian Simpson's style is sort of similar to Alastair Stewart's presentation of the show during the 1999-2000 series.

''Police Camera Action!'' is an Creator/{{ITV}} documentary series that started airing in November 1994 and continues to the present day. Originally hosted by Alastair Stewart, Adrian Simpson became co-presenter in 2008, and Gethin Jones presented a special episode in 2008, before doing four {{Very Special Episode}}s in 2011.

** In the episode "Ultimate Pursuits" the entire episode was a ShoutOut to ''Film/BackToTheFuture''.

* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Sometimes occurs in this show, but not to the level of dramas such as ''{{Hustle}}''.

* ShoutOut: ''"And next time, let's be careful out there..."'' - a nod to ''HillStreetBlues''

There '''is''' an argument, however, for releasing this on DVD; given the success of ''{{CSI}}'', ''{{NCIS}}'', ''TheWire'' on DVD, there is possibly enough Fandom for this to be released.

[[quoteright:475:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/349c34a3dfa43d778a40ee6eb6dab3bb.jpg]]

There was a vogue in TheNineties for police camera car shows on VHS; namely ''[[PoliceStop Police Stop!]]'' between 1994 and 1995 on VHS, before it became a fully-blown TV show in 1996.

''Police Camera Action!'' is an {{ITV}} documentary series that started airing in November 1994 and continues to the present day. Originally hosted by Alastair Stewart, Adrian Simpson became co-presenter in 2008, and Gethin Jones presented a special episode in 2008, before doing four {{Very Special Episode}}s in 2011.

The show was initially produced by Carlton, but Optomen now hold international production and distribution rights, plus the UsefulNotes/{{Copyright}} to the show.

* CelebrityCameo: The (sadly missed) Robbie Burns makes an appearance.