Yes, they meant THESE kinds of "Enforcers"
With only a couple of weeks to go in the final ratings block for 2010, Channel 9 are launching a new observational documentary series following the work of council rangers and officers across the country – The Enforcers. If you like your parking ticket inspectors abused, your dog catchers catching, & your council rangers ranging, this is the show for you.
It’s a genre normally saved for the tabloid current “affairs” shows, and yet somehow here we have a series on what may be perceived as the most mundane and hated of public service roles. There’s potential, but only if the editing is decent and we have the narration delivered from an Australian actor with some chutzpah & sincerity. Someone who may have played a role where he or she was in authority, a strong role, or even someone who has played a member of the police force. Someone who… Oh look! A press release:
Narrated by William McInnes, this compelling new series gives an insight into the experiences and challenges these dedicated public officials face as they work hard to serve their local communities. What unfolds is a humorous, confronting and emotional slice of Australian life, driven by an often misunderstood group of people with the true spirit of community engagement. There’s conflict, aggression, humour and warmth in a series that charts the intersection where local authority meets everyday local life.
Throughout the series, we see it all: from illegal rubbish dumping and environmental hazards to dangerous dogs, livestock on the loose, neighbourly disputes, ugly confrontation on parking patrols, and lending a helping hand to those who lead less privileged lives.
In the first episode, rangers on a routine school patrol notice a dog off a lead. When they approach the owner they discover that the dog could be an American pit bull – a dangerous and restricted breed. The rangers have no choice but to take drastic action in the interests of public safety. Rangers in Perth cop abuse from construction workers at a building site when they are writing out parking tickets. As tempers rise, the rangers are increasingly hassled and the situation gets more and more tense until someone strikes back at them. Meanwhile another ranger, Brent, is called out to catch two sheep wandering loose on the streets. As the chase begins, he runs them straight into a swamp. Getting them out safely could turn out to be his toughest and most unusual assignment yet.
For these rangers, facing abuse on a daily basis is all part of the job that pushes them to their limits.
Expect confrontation (duh!). Expect cute little puppies. Expect livestock. Expect strict adherence to rules, by-laws, codes & statues. Expect ill-fitting uniforms & wide brimmed hats (possibly even those caps with the long flap down the back covering your neck – so Year 2). Just expect, because I’m sure it will be 24.5 minutes of everthing you’d expect if you ran into one of these schmoes an Enforcer in real life.
UPDATE: Oh look! A preview:
The Enforcers – starts 6:30pm Sunday 14/11/10, Channel 9
Image sources: Karridian.net; News Ltd.
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