DCI Jack Meadows

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Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows, played by Simon Rouse, is the head of CID in the long-running ITV series The Bill. He is currently the fourth longest-serving character in the show.

Jack first arrived in Sun Hill in 1992 having been demoted from his previous position of Detective Superintendent following a scandal.

[edit] Overview

Jack has always proved a stern and tough boss, allowing little to escape him or permitting his team to step out of line. Even Jack however could not prevent the machinations of the corrupt DS Don Beech — a scandal which nearly cost him his job. After the scandal Jack's reputation was in tatters and his confidence destroyed; his new team branded him corrupt and his new boss Tom Chandler attempted to have him fired. Jack however ultimately managed to reveal Chandler's criminal past and had him arrested.

Jack has recovered from the scandal and has since fought against any opposition or scandal. When Adam Okaro took compassionate leave, Jack was appointed Acting Superintendent.

[edit] Personal Life

Jack was married for 30 years - the marriage was later dissolved. His personal life spilled into his work recently when he felt obliged to arrest his own son Benjamin for possession of crack cocaine which he believed was for personal use (he wanted to teach him a lesson). He tried to help his son rehabiltate and sacrified the post of Acting Superintendent and his annual leave to help him. However the matter spiralled out of control when he discovered his son was actually a drug dealer and watched on helplessly as his son was sentenced to seven years penal servitude.

[edit] Further Scandal

Jack was on the verge of losing his job and ending up behind bars when a case from his days as a Detective Sergeant came back to haunt him. Vince Parker - a dying inmate serving a twenty year sentence for armed robbery - claimed that he was responsible for a murder and he bribed Meadows and Price to lose the evidence. According to him, Jack demanded more money and when Vince refused they framed him for armed robbery. As the story unfolded and Jack and Dougie ran from the DPS headed by DCI Frank Keane who was teaming with Meadows former subordiante DI Neil Manson, it emerged that Dougie had planted the evidence for the armed robbery on Vince because he had had an affair with Vince's wife and was the father of the son that Vince had raised as his own. Jack, however did have one minor true role in Vince Parker's allegations — he withheld a witness statement which provided Vince with an alibi. The old witness statement (signed by Jack) was discovered by DI Manson thus giving himself the chance to have Jack fired and himself promoted. Manson, remembering how Jack helped him clear his name when he was facing corruption charges, threw the statement in the bin declaring that Jack Meadows was the best Police Officer that he had ever worked with.

Preceded by: Kim Reid

Sun Hill Detective Chief Inspector 1992 - present

Succeeded by: incumbent