PC David Copperfield
Encyclopedia
PC David Copperfield is the pen name
of Stuart Davidson, formerly of the Staffordshire Police
, who is believed to have been the Internet's first police blogger, who later wrote the best-selling book about the British
police service,
Wasting Police Time, while serving as Police Constable (PC). He is now serving as a police officer in Canada
.
issues.
In 2005, a number of his blog posts were used without permission
by the London
-based Mail on Sunday newspaper. The usage of the material attracted protest from fellow bloggers, and Copperfield jokingly described the journalists as 'bastards'. However, the three-page article also attracted the attention of a number of publishers and agents, eventually leading to his first book.
, a misdemeanor
criminal offence under British law. In October 2006, Wasting Police Time was published. It chronicles Copperfield's despair at the way policing in his town - dubbed 'Newtown' (revealed to be Burton upon Trent
) - has all but collapsed.
The blurb
on the back of the book's dust jacket
asks:
His writing revealed the amount of time the UK police now take to deal with relatively petty crimes. He described in detail the hugely complicated paperwork process which meant, for example, that the theft of a bicycle by three boys took around 20 hours (over the course of a month or so) to clear up. This struck a chord with a British public - and media - which wondered how so much more money could have been spent on the police service for apparently so little a return.
The book was serial
ised in the Daily Mail
, sister paper of that which had earlier stolen his material - and Copperfield found himself in great demand from other newspapers and media outlets.
's flagship news show Newsnight
, wrote fleader page articles for The Daily Telegraph
and was written about in almost every British newspaper. Nick Cohen
in The Observer
named Wasting Police Time one of the three 'most important political books' of the day and was invited to appear on the BBC Radio 5 Live
chat shows of both Victoria Derbyshire
and Simon Mayo
. On Jon Gaunt
's national TalkSPORT
network radio show - where he appeared twice - he said: I'm just an ordinary copper
who wrote a funny book about what it's like in the police now.
He was invited to discuss criminal justice policy with shadow cabinet members - having described himself in his book as "conservative with a small c" - and was a main speaker at a law and order seminar arranged by the Policy Exchange
thinktank. However, when Labour
Minister of State for Police Tony McNulty
MP discussed the book on the floor of the House of Commons
in late 2006, he attempted to dismiss it, describing it as "more of a fiction than Dickens." http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2006-10-23a.1225.3
To this point, PC Copperfield's real identity had been protected. But in the spring of 2007, Copperfield - accompanied by his editor from Monday Books - met producers from the BBC television's Panorama
current affairs programme to discuss his 'outing' on their programme. The broadcast aired on September 17, 2007. Copperfield revealed himself to be PC Stuart Davidson of the Staffordshire Police
. His fictional "Newtown" was actually the Midlands
brewing centre of Burton-upon-Trent.
Shortly before the programme aired, Copperfield was summoned to a meeting with his Chief Constable to discuss his "other career" as a writer. He had evaded his force's Professional Standards Department for several years, but suspicions had arisen as to his secret identity after he had appeared on GMTV
and Sky News
- his face obscured, his voice unaltered - as well as numerous radio programmes, to discuss UK policing. By that stage, Davidson had already applied to join Edmonton Police Service
(EPS) in Edmonton, Alberta, leaving later the same year for Canada
, where he works for the EPS.
In July 2010, Davidson wrote a 1,000 word essay for the British Sunday Telegraph
explaining how policing in Edmonton was cheaper, quicker and more effective than in the UK, and how this meant, by extension, that forthcoming cuts to UK police budgets need not necessarily mean fewer frontline police on British streets.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Stuart Davidson, formerly of the Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England...
, who is believed to have been the Internet's first police blogger, who later wrote the best-selling book about the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
police service,
Wasting Police Time, while serving as Police Constable (PC). He is now serving as a police officer in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Blogging
Copperfield began blogging in 2004; Having initially started to write about his passion for gardening, he found that mentions of his working life in the police attracted far more interest and so switched to commenting on law and orderLaw and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
issues.
In 2005, a number of his blog posts were used without permission
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
by the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Mail on Sunday newspaper. The usage of the material attracted protest from fellow bloggers, and Copperfield jokingly described the journalists as 'bastards'. However, the three-page article also attracted the attention of a number of publishers and agents, eventually leading to his first book.
Wasting Police Time
In early 2006 Copperfield signed a book deal with British publisher Monday Books to turn his blog into a book. For its title, he chose the term wasting police timeWasting police time
Wasting police time is listed as a criminal offence in many Commonwealth countries.- United Kingdom :In England and Wales, one can be charged by police with the offence under Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 when one "causes any wasteful employment of the police" by "knowingly making to any...
, a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
criminal offence under British law. In October 2006, Wasting Police Time was published. It chronicles Copperfield's despair at the way policing in his town - dubbed 'Newtown' (revealed to be Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
) - has all but collapsed.
The blurb
Blurb
A blurb is a short summary or some words of praise accompanying a creative work, usually used on books without giving away any details, that is usually referring to the words on the back of the book jacket but also commonly seen on DVD and video cases, web portals, and news websites.- History :The...
on the back of the book's dust jacket
Dust jacket
The dust jacket of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back book covers...
asks:
His writing revealed the amount of time the UK police now take to deal with relatively petty crimes. He described in detail the hugely complicated paperwork process which meant, for example, that the theft of a bicycle by three boys took around 20 hours (over the course of a month or so) to clear up. This struck a chord with a British public - and media - which wondered how so much more money could have been spent on the police service for apparently so little a return.
The book was serial
Serial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
ised in the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, sister paper of that which had earlier stolen his material - and Copperfield found himself in great demand from other newspapers and media outlets.
Wasting MORE Police Time (Sequel)
On 14 March 2011, Monday Books announced via their online blog that a sequel to Wasting Police Time would be released in late 2011. This will contain stories from both David Copperfield and other serving and ex UK police officers.Media appearances
He appeared on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's flagship news show Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
, wrote fleader page articles for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
and was written about in almost every British newspaper. Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen is a British journalist, author and political commentator. He is currently a columnist for The Observer, a blogger for The Spectator and TV critic for Standpoint magazine. He formerly wrote for the London Evening Standard and the New Statesman...
in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
named Wasting Police Time one of the three 'most important political books' of the day and was invited to appear on the BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
chat shows of both Victoria Derbyshire
Victoria Derbyshire
Victoria Derbyshire is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who currently presents the mid-morning news/current affairs & interview programme on BBC Radio 5 Live between 10am and 12noon each weekday...
and Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo is an English radio presenter who has worked for BBC Radio since 1981. As of January 2010, Mayo is presenter of Simon Mayo Drivetime on BBC Radio 2 and, with Mark Kermode, presenter of Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews on BBC Radio 5 Live.In 2008, Mayo was recognised as the "radio...
. On Jon Gaunt
Jon Gaunt
Jonathan Charles Gaunt , is an English radio talk show presenter, TV Personality, newspaper columnist, social commentator and spokesman....
's national TalkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
network radio show - where he appeared twice - he said: I'm just an ordinary copper
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
who wrote a funny book about what it's like in the police now.
He was invited to discuss criminal justice policy with shadow cabinet members - having described himself in his book as "conservative with a small c" - and was a main speaker at a law and order seminar arranged by the Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange is a British conservative think tank based in London. The Daily Telegraph has described it as "the largest, but also the most influential think tank on the right"...
thinktank. However, when Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Minister of State for Police Tony McNulty
Tony McNulty
Anthony "Tony" James McNulty is a former British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Harrow East from 1997 to 2010 and was a government minister from 2002 to 2009. He was Minister for London and Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for...
MP discussed the book on the floor of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in late 2006, he attempted to dismiss it, describing it as "more of a fiction than Dickens." http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2006-10-23a.1225.3
To this point, PC Copperfield's real identity had been protected. But in the spring of 2007, Copperfield - accompanied by his editor from Monday Books - met producers from the BBC television's Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
current affairs programme to discuss his 'outing' on their programme. The broadcast aired on September 17, 2007. Copperfield revealed himself to be PC Stuart Davidson of the Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England...
. His fictional "Newtown" was actually the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
brewing centre of Burton-upon-Trent.
Shortly before the programme aired, Copperfield was summoned to a meeting with his Chief Constable to discuss his "other career" as a writer. He had evaded his force's Professional Standards Department for several years, but suspicions had arisen as to his secret identity after he had appeared on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
and Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
- his face obscured, his voice unaltered - as well as numerous radio programmes, to discuss UK policing. By that stage, Davidson had already applied to join Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-Organization:The current head of the EPS is Roderick Knecht....
(EPS) in Edmonton, Alberta, leaving later the same year for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he works for the EPS.
In July 2010, Davidson wrote a 1,000 word essay for the British Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
explaining how policing in Edmonton was cheaper, quicker and more effective than in the UK, and how this meant, by extension, that forthcoming cuts to UK police budgets need not necessarily mean fewer frontline police on British streets.