This video will get you up to date with Line Of Duty's last 5 series very quickly

Lots of viewers were VERY confused during episode 1

Author: Georgia AspinallPublished 23rd Mar 2021
Last updated 19th May 2022

The sixth season of Line of Duty graced our screens after two long years of waiting on Sunday 21st March, attracting a record audience of 9.6million! Whilst critics loved the opening to the latest season, praising it’s similarity to early years episode, many fans were left very confused.

With the dramas surrounding the AC-12 anti-corruption unit gripping viewers since 2012, it seems lockdown has gotten us sucked into Line of Duty more than ever. But being that it’s been on for nearly 10 years, with series often separated by two years at a time, many viewers were also struggling to keep up with all of the back stories that led to the latest exploits.

That’s why one YouTube video, titled ‘All Line of Duty in six minutes’ is currently doing the rounds on social media. Posted onto the BBC’s YouTube channel, the six-minute video thoroughly explains everything you need to know about the last five series of Line of Duty, so you’re thoroughly prepped and prepared for the twists and turns to come.

So, if you’re in need of an easy and efficient reminder of everything that’s happened in Line of Duty so far, just check out the video below and rest assured you’re as up to date as ever…

Now that you're up to date, you're probably also asking the same question everyone is Googling right now: 'What does CHIS mean?'. It was the acronym that no one could stop using in Sunday night's opening episode, with viewers hastily searching for what the characters are referring to.

Well, CHIS actually stands for 'covert human intelligence source'. Essentially, it's an informant. It's a real term used in law enforcement, with the UK Home Office describing CHIS as meaning a 'relationship with a person for the covert purpose' of 'obtaining information or to provide access to any information to another person'; or someone who 'covertly discloses information obtained by the use of such a relationship or as a consequence of the existence of such a relationship'.

Check out all of the Line of Duty terms explained:

OCG - Organised Crime Group: Serious crime planned, coordinated and conducted by people working together on a continuing basis, mostly acting in different roles depending on their skills and expertise.

PACE - Police and Criminal Evidence Act: Established in 1984, a code of practice that regulates police powers and protects public rights.

REG 15 - Regulation 15 notice: A notice that advises an officer that a complaint has been made or a conduct matter has come to light that warrants investigation by professional standards department.

RIPA - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000: An act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, which regulates the powers of the public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covers the interception of communications.

RTC - Road Traffic Collision

ANPR - Automatic Number Plate Recognition: Technology is used to detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level.

AC-12 - Anti-Corruption Unit 12: A dedicated unit that holds responsibility for investigating corruption within the police force.

CHIS - Covert Human Intelligence Source: A person who establishes or maintains a personal or other relationship with another person for the covert purpose.

AFO - Authorised Firearms Officer: A police office, who has been selected, trained, accredited and authorised by their chief officer to carry a firearm operationally.

ARVs - Armed Response Vehicles: ARVs are crewed by Authorised Firearms Officers to respond to incidents believed to involve firearms or other high-risk situations.

DIR - Digital Interview Recording: Digital device used to record police interviews.

IOPC - Independent Office for Police Conduct: A non-departmental public body in England and Wales which, since 8 January 2018, is responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against forces in England and Wales.

FI - Forensic Investigator: The FI gathers and preserves physical evidence at a crime scene to take to a lab where they examine what they or other law enforcement personal have found.

I.P. Address - Internet Protocol Address: A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

SFC - Strategic Firearms Commander: The SFC has overall strategic command of firearms operations, with responsibility and accountability for directions given.

UCO - Undercover Operative: A method use by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. They wear civilian clothes that fit in to avoid detection.


TFC - Tactical Firearms Officer: A TFC provides guidance on the appropriate use in respect of different tactical options involving the deployment of AFOs.

VPN - Virtual Private Network: The extension of a private network that includes links across shared or public networks, such as the Internet.

So there you have it, everything you needed to know - or were wondering - about Line of Duty explained. Don't say we never gave you anything.

Now read:

Meet the cast of Line of Duty series 6

Eagle-eyed Line of Duty fans 'spot' Theresa May in new series

Line of Duty series 7: Everything we know so far

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