This outstanding police procedural drama stars Martin Shaw (George Gently) as Alan Cade, Chief Constable of Eastland, a fictional East Anglian force. Focussing on the politics of policing as much as the daily fight against crime, The Chief sees the compassionate, principled Cade in frequent conflict with both his Home Office superiors and the local government agencies that are increasingly taking over many police roles.Featuring scripts by Ian Kennedy Martin (The Sweeney), this fifth and final series sees Cades antagonists closing in. He finds both his job and his reputation on the line when a national newspaper splashes an article criticising his record as Chief Constable, and suggesting that all those around him would like to see him go. Someone closely associated with Cade is responsible for supplying the journalist with details