Dave Quinnan

Dave Quinnan

Service Record

Dave Quinnan Police Constable Dave Quinnan Birth Name: David Patrick Quinnan Nickname(s): Dave IC: Gender Age 1   Male 27 (1989) 40 (2002) 56 (2018) Height: 5 8 Date of Birth: August 20th 1962 London Occupation: Police Officer Metropolitan Police     Sun Hill Rank: Police Constable Call Sign: 340 Epaulette No.: SO 340 Status: Transferred: SO10, Covert Operations Affiliation: Metropolitan Police Curr. Posting: SO10, Covert Operations Curr. Rank: Police Constable Occ. Status Active ●  Service Record  ● Portrayed by: Andrew Paul  ● First Appearance: Chinese Whispers  ● Last Appearance: Quinnan, Part 6 List of Appearances

When PC Dave Quinnan arrived at Sun Hill in 1989, he thought he had the place sussed out pretty quick. A bit fly, a bit of a manipulator, was our Dave.

Unlike most of the others, he’d been around. He trained as an electrician after leaving school with 2 GCSEs and he’d worked on the oil rigs up in Aberdeen - attracted by the lure of a fat wage packet. After the burst of the Aberdeen oil bubble, Quinnan lost his job and returned to the south to find a new life. He joined the force in 1986, serving his probationary at Bow Street. Police work appealed – not because he wanted to help the victims of crime. He simply felt that someone had to keep order and nick wrong’uns and it might as well be him. The pay wasn’t bad and, unlike the oil business, thieving wasn’t likely to go into decline.

Born in Colliers Wood, Dave came from a large family and was his mother’s favourite. He was a charming, shrewd manipulator, good at sizing people up quickly and telling them what they wanted to hear. He was always first to the bar and always had a tenner to lend you if you were short. Money was the chief reason he joined the force: he was attracted by the substantial pay increase granted the police force by the Thatcher government. He wasn't an idealist; police work for him was about keeping the peace and punishing wrongdoers - if he'd wanted to help people he'd have joined the Samaritans. He enjoyed the uniform and the authority it gave him.

Early in his career at Sun Hill he caught a child-abductor and got a commendation. Then he did a bit of electrical work for money – strictly against the rules – and, when the chap he did it for turned up, he worried he’d be found out. Over the years he became more careful and thoughtful; he was not so ready to judge a book by its cover. He helped old ladies cross the road, and he went back to check on them, too. But you didn’t expect deep caring from Quinnan – he may have wound you up to laugh in your face.

His best mate was Tony Stamp with whom he’d been on dozens of escapades. They helped each other out of many holes over the years. Steve Loxton was another pal. In the early days Bob Cryer would always support Quinnan when the young man’s sometimes unconventional methods got him into trouble with Andrew Monroe. Dave's latter time at Sun Hill was blighted by bad luck. In 1999 he was viciously stabbed by a bunch of youths on the Jasmine Allen, his marriage broke down after his infidelity and he suffered a breakdown from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

But nothing kept a good Dave down. He enjoyed some variety in his work. He worked in the Bumblebee squad for a time, working in plain clothes. He may well have ended up in CID – but not yet. After a particularly successful undercover operation Dave walked out of Sun Hill and into SO10, Covert Operations...but not without first leaving Polly Page devastated and on the verge of nervous collapse.

In 2019, actor Andrew Paul shared his memories of the series during an in-depth interview about his life and career for The Bill Podcast

Service Record

Main article: Service Record

• 1986 - First Posting: Bow Street (Probationer)
• 1989 - Transferred: Sun Hill
• 1993 - Seconded to Operation Bumblebee
• 1998 - Death of Simon Atwell gives evidence in Court.
• 1999 - Stabbed by gang of youths on Jasmine Allen estate
• 2002 - Transferred: SO10 - Covert Operations as a Detective Constable

Family and Relationships

Relationships

• Jenny Delaney (Wife, 1999 - 2003)
• Unknown Woman (Wife, 2005 - Present)

• Polly Page (Dated between 1999 and 2002)

• Ryan Quinnan (Nephew)

References

Major Storylines

Feud with Eddie Santini 1998-2000

Dave intervened in the feud between PCs Eddie Santini and Rosie Fox, and tried to broker a peace between them for the sake of team spirit. However, it resulted in he and Eddie having a fight in a pub, and he refused to work with Eddie for some time afterwards. He later testified against Eddie at his murder trial, but it was in vain as Eddie was eventually acquitted.

1999 Stabbing

After tensions on the Jasmine Allan with police, Dave was stabbed.

1999 Affair with Jenny Delaney

Dave and George come to blows.

Dave had an affair with George Garfield's girlfriend Jenny. George found out and the two came to blows. When it became apparent that they could not work together again, Dave decided to request a transfer. However, George beat him to it and took extended leave (Heavy Plant Crossing, Love and War, Part One, Love and War, Part Two). Dave later married Jenny.

2000-02 Affair with Polly Page

Dave had an affair with Polly Page, which left her suicidal.

2001 Britannmania

Undercover operation with DC Mickey Webb on sport-related violence.

2002 Quinnan

A collection of episodes noting the end of an era for PC Dave Quinnan.

Preceded by: PC Pete Ramsey

Sun Hill PC 1989-2002

Succeeded by: None