A programme called Valley Cops was on TV last night.

It featured moments that were funny, sad, touching and disturbing. The programme, which aired on BBC Wales, sought to show what it was like to be a police officer working in the Valleys. It spent a lot of time on Merthyr's well-known Gurnos estate .

It spoke to police officers, including Jason Kedward, known as Rhino, who has worked the Gurnos for 10 years and deals with people with humour and humanity. He said: "People think everyone up here is up to no good but there's a lot of good, hard-working honest people here. It's got its pockets of problem areas but I don't think any town hasn't."

There were serious criminals who had spent much of their lives, young and old, behind bars. And there were many moments that stood out for being funny, moving and sometimes very sad.

1. When a man interrupts his interview to shout at passing van

2. Straight after saying this

3. When custody officer Ryan describes having to lock up members of his own family

4. When police officer Rhino asks people having a fire in the street if they're 'burning all their speeding tickets'

5. When the police ask Michael how long he's been partying

6. The way Ryan looks after people in the cells

7. When Rhino looks back at all repeat offender Julian's mugshots like a fond dad

"Some people have got photographs of their children every year in school - this is what I've got of Julian. I did try to stop him getting arrested and getting himself into trouble - but you can see I've failed miserably because he's been arrested at least 40 times."

8. When Rhino says he likes Julian's dad then they ask Julian's dad if he likes the police

9. When expectant dad Liam makes this sad admission

10. When Rhino shows how tight Valleys communities can be

11. When Julian's dad sums up his life

12. But someone else shows it doesn't have to be that way

13. And when this young man describes the first time he held his daughter

14. When Liam gets charged with robbery and realises he might not be there to see his daughter born

15. When Ryan shows how lives can go in different directions

16. And Rhino uses Julian to show how easily these things can go either way

"It's sad. I think, given a different environment, he has a nice way about him and a nice personality, and I think if he could have put that to better use, he could have held a job down and done alright for himself."

17. When Julian's dad reads his son's letter from prison

"To dad, well as you can tell, it's your number one son and the magic pen from Cardiff Prison. Well, dad, how are you today? I'm alright. Well, dad, as for me, when I come out I'm gonna start sorting myself out. I'm away from all the drugs and I'm going to start back work and I'll be off the streets then."

  • Michael was in police custody as they investigated a robbery. They accepted he had no part in it.
  • Liam pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to five years in jail.