Alina Lapin

Intro Born in the USSR in the early 1980s, Alina’s family was devoutly Catholic, imposing a strict upbringing centered around academic excellence and religious values. Her life was regimented — school by day, flute practice by evening, homework by night. She dreamed of university but her family, facing economic hardship post-USSR collapse, refused to fund her higher education. Seeking independence, Alina moved to the UK as a teenager with little but determination and a modest education. She found work as a fashion model due to her striking height and features, supplementing her income by attending evening classes in fashion merchandising at a local trade school. Inspired by her late father, a respected police officer back home, and encouraged further by a newspaper ad spotlighting women and minorities in the UK police, she applied to join the force in 2006. Police Career: Upon expressing interest, Alina was met with patronizing attitudes and open sexism. The nickname "Bambi," given during training due to her wide eyes, was a bitter reminder of how the officers underestimated and mocked her. She endured the toxic environment and soon gathered troubling tales of corruption and misconduct within the force—from on-duty officers selling pornographic materials and cheating on spouses to using excessive force on suspects. These observations only fueled her determination to expose the rot. Her willingness to engage local journalists, however, made her many colleagues hostile, isolating her further. Her closest ally was Jenny Hess, but their friendship ended disastrously when Jenny's involvement with cannabis at a gig implicated Alina, leading to her dismissal for alleged complicity.