"Frontline" was a three-part storyline in the long-running police procedural British television series The Bill. Broadcast in 2008, the storyline is significant in the show's history as it was the final plot to feature the death of an on-screen character, PC Emma Keane, which came in the first part of the plot.
Prelude
Unlike storylines during the serialized era of 2002-2005, the Frontline plot did not have multiple long-running plots in the buildup. However, one ongoing storyline was that of the posse run by Sergeant Callum Stone. While Stone was not borderline corrupt, he used certain methods that were not legal. He was seen as a maverick when he arrived, but one of his biggest secrets came weeks after his arrival in the Fall of 2007. Stone was part of a uniform search for a missing girl, Chloe Parks, but the search came to a tragic end when she was found dead at the bottom of a fire escape at an abandoned hospital. Things got personal for Stone when footage emerged of the girl several years earlier stating she was sexually abused by her father Martin (Chris Walker). When he failed to confess in the interview, PC Will Fletcher, Family Liaison Officer for the Parks family in the case of Chloe's death, went after him when he assaulted his wife. Finding Martin atop the fire escape where Chloe committed suicide, Stone forces Fletcher off the negotiation before goading Martin into jumping. Fletcher was mortified, but Stone callously told him "What goes around, comes around". After initial harsh feelings between the two, Fletcher sought Stone's help in the Spring of 2008 when PC Sally Armstrong demanded justice for a suspected rapist who attacked the sister of one of Armstrong's friends. Reminding Stone of his "alternative methods", Fletcher got him on his side, and after the man gave evidence against a suspected drug dealer, Stone joined the arrest team before telling the suspect who was responsible for calling the cops. Taking Fletcher, Armstrong, and PC Benjamin Gayle to the home of the suspected rapist, they lay in wait until a group of thugs burst in and savagely assaulted him, responding to the callout and arresting the men responsible. Happy with their alternative justice, the four officers formed a posse. A few weeks later, Armstrong was paired with PC Emma Keane when a burglar was seriously assaulted during a home invasion. Dejected that the victims may end up being prosecuted for defending their home, Armstrong took Keane to Stone to ask if there were any alternatives. Stone was furious that Armstrong asked Keane to get involved, as her father was a DCI at the DPS. Keane, however, thought Stone was harboring a crush on her and began undermining him. After forcing her way onto an undercover operation, Stone laid down the law as she put herself in danger, attempting to kiss him before pulling out as he was drawn in, stating that her suspicions about him fancying her were confirmed.
Synopsis
Part 1: Shockwave
The events of Shockwave take place the day after the undercover operation, Armstrong notices Keane tease Stone as he told her to be careful whilst out on patrol. As Armstrong tried to get Keane to talk about their interaction, an explosion is heard nearby, turning onto a street to witness a second blast take out a street market. As they tended to the casualties, Armstrong called in for assistance. During the rescue efforts, Keane found a man masquerading as a doctor who sexually assaulted a woman trapped in a car during the blast. Keane was then assaulted during her attempts to arrest the man, leaving Stone determined to track the man down, who also gave false medical advice to a victim who was rushed into the hospital unconscious as a result. The relief was left in shock by the events, drawing similarities to the 7/7 attacks 3 years earlier. As the day progressed, Armstrong and Keane paired to track down the phony doctor but ended up arguing when Keane pressed for details on Stone's posse. Splitting up, they found the man and apprehended him, although Stone arrived to witness him assault Keane once again. As they argued about the legality of Stone's actions, Keane accused him of being corrupt and stormed off. Whilst patrolling, Keane discovered smoke pouring from a building and started an evacuation. As she evacuated, DCI Jack Meadows called her to inform her that SO15 (Counter-Terrorism) revealed the bombs that detonated were fertilizer-based. As backup rushed to her aid, Keane came across a man with a suspicious package. As her colleagues closed in, the bomb detonated, finding Keane seriously injured. As Stone battled in vain to save her life, her devastated colleagues watched on as Keane succumbed to her injuries.