A drunken yob attacking a taxi driver over a £5 note was just one of the shocking incidents police had to deal with in Derby city centre on a Friday night.

Derbyshire Live joined two police officers in the city centre to get an exclusive insight into what they get up to on a typical Friday night.

PC Mark Dunn described his job working in the force as being like a "baby sitter, social worker, friend and dad".

I tagged along with licencing officers PC Dunn and his colleague PC Gareth Fowler in their fight to tackle anti-social and criminal activity so the public can safely enjoy the nightlife that exists in Derby.

And they showed me first hand what effect alcohol has on revellers trying to enjoy a Friday night out in Derby.


Before we start what police call the "night-time economy shift", we get hot drinks to prepare us for the night ahead. Usually the shift starts at 9pm and ends at 5am, during which time the city centre sees the most trouble, but tonight we are doing 7pm to 1am.

During the pit stop a man insists he pays for our drinks, but Mark won't allow it. It's nice to see people show respect for our police officers like that.

Reporter Paige Oldfield with PC Gareth Fowler, left, and PC Mark Dunn, right

It's quiet in town at the moment, but Gareth says they take this opportunity to drive around the city centre speaking with bouncers and door staff.

He explains that it helps give them an idea of how the night will pan out if venues are expected to get busier.

Being licensing officers, the pair are also making sure premises and bouncers have their licenses properly on display.


We pick up a breathalyser kit at St Mary's Wharf police station in Prime Parkway. Mark says they will be using this throughout the night to give advice and information to revellers who may have had a bit too much to drink.

They breathalyse me to show me what it's like. I've never been breathalysed before, but of course it came back zero.

Derbyshire Live joined PC Gareth Fowler, left, and PC Mark Dunn, right patrolling the city centre for a night

We've parked up in the city centre and are generally walking around chatting to people. Mark says they "have to have rapport with everyone" to build working relationships and bonds with business owners and bouncers.


As we are walking through the city centre Mark goes into a popular takeaway. He says they don't have their premises license properly on display. Luckily the takeaway owner finds it behind the fridge and places it on the counter - he also manages to avoid a hefty fine.

Now we're back up towards Sadler Gate. We stop a random man in the street and ask him if he would like to be breathalysed while trying to reassure him that he's not in trouble.

He insists he has only had six pints, but blows 93 on the breathalyzer which means "dazed and confused" on the chart - the legal limit is 35. Gareth and Mark give him advice.

We head over to the The United Reformed Church, in Becketwell Lane. Mark and Gareth explain that we are going to meet the Derby Street Pastors, a group of volunteers who patrol the streets of Derby over the weekend to make sure people are safe.

PC Dunn briefing the street pastors on the night ahead
PC Dunn briefing the street pastors on the night ahead

The police meet with the street pastors every Friday and Saturday for a briefing before the night ahead. The pastors work from 10pm to 4am and do not get paid for their work.

Mark warns them that it may be a busy night as it is coming up to the first night in December - the force call it "silly season".

He also says Derbyshire Police "rely heavily" on the pastors and praises them for always going "above and beyond" in their work.

He said: "They are our eyes and ears. They are often the first ones on the scene. I have never heard a bad word said about them."


We are on our way to another briefing meeting at the Derbyshire police headquarters at St Mary's Wharf.

Outside the headquarters there are dozens and dozens of potentially stolen bikes that have been retrieved - some worth hundreds of pounds.

It surprises me how many messages are coming through over the radio. There are all sorts of incidents, ranging from attempted suicides to fights.

We have time to squeeze in a chippy tea - for all of about five minutes. Mark says he hasn't eaten all day. They both say they rarely have time to eat during their shift as they are constantly busy and on the move.


During the briefing officers, discuss things to watch out for during the night and particular problems they have been facing lately.

However we can't stay for long because Mark and Gareth get a message over their radio to say there has been an assault at a popular city centre pub.


We pull up at the pub. Immediately I can see two men squaring up to each other looking as though they are about to fight. Gareth and Mark jump out the van and try to defuse the situation.

The group of men are clearly very drunk. One person has been kicked out for being too intoxicated and is refusing to leave. Gareth takes one of the men fighting away to let the other one cool down.

There are three very drunk men refusing to leave the premises and are trying to get back inside. Mark politely asks one of the men to leave, but they are having none of it.

One of the men starts to act violent towards Mark. He is shouting and being very aggressive and getting in his face.

It shocks me that people won't just leave when told to by police, despite saving themselves a lot of trouble. It just shows what alcohol can do to your attitude and personality.

They wouldn't let me keep the hat...
They wouldn't let me keep the hat...

While Mark attempts to tell the group of men to calm down, another drunk approaches me while I take notes in the background. It scares me and just shows how dangerous a situation could get. Mark ushers me away into the van and locks the door.

Once everything seems to have calmed down, Gareth asks if any of them would like to do a breathalyser test. One man blows 109 which Mark says is equivalent to around two bottles of gin.

Not long after, we see another fight developing outside another bar in the city centre.

This time it is a group of girls claiming they have had each other's ID cards stolen in a mix up. Mark quickly disperses the situation and the girls get on their way.

Town is starting to pick up now and there are lots of drunk people chatting to us in the street. Despite the trouble, Gareth thinks there is a "good atmosphere" in town this evening.

PC Dunn and PC Fowler patrolling the city centre
PC Dunn and PC Fowler patrolling the city centre

Natalie Payne, 23, of Mickelover, is enjoying a night out at Popworld. She tells me she feels "safer" as she noticed there are a lot more police officers patrolling the streets as of late.

She said: "At the minute all you see is people fighting, it's scary. These groups of boys you see, you think they are going to start trouble."


As we walk at the top of Sadler Gate we come across a group of teenagers shouting the odds in the street. They are all holding a beer and seem to be chanting something.

Because drinking alcohol in certain public places is illegal, Mark and Gareth take their beers off of them and pour them on the floor. The boys don't like this and taunt and shout at the officers as they walk down the street.

Just after 12.30am we get a call over the radio saying there could be some potential trouble kicking off at a bar on Friar Gate.

Looking out for trouble in the police van
Looking out for trouble in the police van

Just as we are heading over, in Victoria Street, we are flagged down by a frantic taxi driver in his car who claims he is being attacked.

I look over and can see the passenger of the taxi with his arm through the protection screen grabbing the driver by his shirt.

Both the passenger and the driver get out the car. The passenger is very intoxicated and claims the taxi driver was overcharging him and driving him to the "middle of nowhere".

He is being aggressive and is slurring his words. He says he is refusing to pay despite the fare only being £5.

After around 15 minutes the taxi driver says he is losing money by waiting for the man to pay and decides to leave the situation. However, something very bizarre happens next.

The drunk passenger begins to follow us and demands he is arrested. He is begging Mark to arrest him. He says he is ready to assault Mark just to be arrested and put in handcuffs.

Amazingly, I notice that the man has a lanyard round his neck containing an ID card for the Department for Work and Pensions and is presumably a respectable citizen when not out of his skull. He might regret his antics in the morning.

Mark says they deal with this on a "daily basis" and this kind of thing happens almost every night. The waste of police time is appalling.

The passenger is so determined to be arrested he is now standing in front of the police van in protest. Mark radios other officers on shift to come and deal with the man as we drive away.

Mark said: "It's just what we have to put up with with alcohol."


It's 1am and our shift is finished. Mark and Gareth insist it has been a quiet night despite the drunken antics.

Observing Mark and Gareth tonight has been a real eye-opener for me and I have nothing but admiration for them and the work they do.

It has made me realise the dangerous situations our police force place themselves in every day - purely for our safety.

Many people think police are in the streets purely to fight crime, when in reality they are also there to look after us.

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