PC Mike Jarvis    played by Stephen Beckett

First appearance    Shake, Rattle and Roll (02/02/93)
Last appearance    Volcano (08/05/98)
Call Sign               517

Tall confident Londoner PC Mike Jarvis arrived at Sun Hill from Barton Street in February 1993, after four years in the force, to find his new colleagues were wary. They were waiting to see how close to Inspector Cato, also from Barton Street, he turned out to be. They didn’t have to wait long. Jarvis put as much distance between himself and his unpopular boss as he could. It became clear that he did not approve of some of the older man’s methods.

It also became clear, as the months went by, that he was unimpressed by some of his colleagues, too. He found Loxton’s approach sometimes unprofessional; he seemed not to trust Boyden; but he got on well with Quinnan and Garfield. He looked down, in both senses of the words, on some of the women. But there may have been a spark of something for Polly Page. She didn’t know it, though.

Jarvis could be bad-tempered, but he was a valuable member of the team - he was used to fitting in quickly. He did this through a consciously positive outlook on life, which could be undermined by exasperation and flashes of temper. Despite this, he had a well meaning, good natured attitude to the job, which could make him seem rather earnest. Popular with his colleagues, he was sometimes irritated that they weren't as straight as he was. A trained Area car driver, Jarvis developed into a reliable and conscientious officer during his time at the station. And good in the police rugby team, too. And long legs could be useful when the only way on to one tower-block balcony is from another tower-block balcony. With Jarvis it was ‘Just step this way’

Jarvis went on attachment to the Diplomatic Protection Group for several weeks in 1998, before transferring there permanently later that year. He clashed immediately with new PC Vicky Hagen upon his departure, as she had 'blown the whistle' on a mate of his who had assaulted a prisoner at their nick in Essex. When it was revealed that the prisoner was a 12 year old boy, Jarvis changed his stance and parted on good terms with his colleague.