''Live PD'' is an American
television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, e ...
that aired on the
A&E Network
A&E is an American basic cable network, the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, television drama, dramas, and ...
from 2016 to 2020. It followed
police officers
A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...
in the course of their patrols live, broadcasting select encounters with the nation.
The show was hosted by
Dan Abrams
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Ab ...
with analysis provided by
Tom Morris Jr.
Tom Morris Jr. is an American television host and producer. He was a producer on ''America's Most Wanted'' (AMW) for three years, then became an on-air correspondent on the show through 2011. In 2016, he was hired as one of the original co-hosts ...
and Lt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin.
The program premiered on October 28, 2016, with an initial order from A&E for four two-hour episodes.
On February 1, 2017, A&E announced that the season would be expanded to 21 episodes.
The first season concluded on August 19, 2017, with the second season premiering on October 6, 2017. The second season concluded on August 25, 2018, with the third season premiering on September 21, 2018; that same month, A&E renewed the series for an additional 150 episodes, to run through 2019.
The fourth season premiered on September 20, 2019. On May 7, 2020, the series was renewed for an additional 160 episodes. However, on June 10, 2020, A&E canceled the series in the wake of
protests against police brutality
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.
Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...
following the
murder of George Floyd
On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's n ...
and the destruction of the video footage of the
killing of Javier Ambler
On March 28, 2019, Javier Ambler II died while being arrested by police in Austin, Texas, after fleeing from deputies who sought to stop him for a traffic violation. Ambler was tased multiple times by authorities. Video of Ambler's death, record ...
.
At the time of cancellation, ''Live PD'' was the most watched show on A&E and the most watched show on cable during prime time on Friday. After the cancellation of ''Live PD,'' A&E's viewership went down 49% in the following months. On August 21, 2020, A&E began airing new episodes of spin-off series ''Live Rescue'', which focuses on firefighters and EMTs, on Friday and Saturday nights in the same time slot.
Two of the three hosts began hosting a new show titled ''
On Patrol: Live'' on
Reelz
Reelz (formerly known as Reelz Channel) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The network's programming was formerly devoted to entertainment-oriented programming focusing on the Hollywood ...
on July 22, 2022. That show also runs for three hours every Friday and Saturday night.
Overview
''Live PD'' was hosted by
Dan Abrams
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, legal commentator, and author. He is currently the host of the prime-time show ''Dan Abrams Live'' on NewsNation, ''On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz and ''The Dan Ab ...
, the chief legal affairs anchor for
ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
.
The program featured live video feeds from multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Departments included the Lawrence Police Department, Clay County Sheriff's Office,
Richland County Sheriff's Department Richland may refer to:
Places in the United States
(by state)
*Richland, California
* Richland, Georgia
* Richland County, Illinois
* Richland, Rush County, Indiana
*Richland, Iowa
*Richland, Michigan
*Richland, Mississippi (disambiguation)
*Richla ...
,
Tulsa Police Department
The Tulsa Police Department (TPD) is the principal law enforcement agency for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. It is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies It is the second largest municipa ...
, Williamson County Sheriff's Office,
Berkeley County Sheriff's Department, and the Pomona Police Department.
Abrams was joined in-studio by two co-analysts: former
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
,
special police
Special police usually describes a police, police force or unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or from other police in the same force, although there is no ...
officer and crime reporter
Tom Morris Jr.
Tom Morris Jr. is an American television host and producer. He was a producer on ''America's Most Wanted'' (AMW) for three years, then became an on-air correspondent on the show through 2011. In 2016, he was hired as one of the original co-hosts ...
and Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin of the
Tulsa PD. Occasionally, the trio were joined by a law enforcement officer that had been featured on the show in the field.
Because of the risk of confidential or otherwise inappropriate material being aired, A&E imposed a
broadcast delay
In radio and television, broadcast delay is an intentional delay when broadcasting live material, technically referred to as a deferred live. Such a delay may be to prevent mistakes or unacceptable content from being broadcast. Longer delays las ...
on the show which may range from a few seconds to several minutes.
''Live PD'' was frequently the top-rated cable program on Friday and Saturday nights.
Throughout the month of April 2020, ''Live PD'' was broadcast under an amended format which focused on the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
on police officers and first responders. In June 2020, A&E pulled episodes from its schedule in the wake of
George Floyd's murder while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Episodes
Notable incidents
Due to the nature of live television, ''Live PD'' has captured incidents that may not have been aired on a traditional law enforcement program. One such event that received coverage was
Bridgeport Police Department
The Bridgeport Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is responsible for most law enforcement within the geographical boundaries of City of Bridgeport, with the ex ...
Sergeant Chris Robinson breaking down on camera after learning 13-month-old Michael Citron, suffering from an adverse reaction to antihistamine medication, had died following Robinson escorting an ambulance carrying the child to a local hospital.
In another incident, a family claimed to have recognized their loved one, 37-year-old Benjamin Johnson, deceased on television after what the
Richland County Sheriff's Department Richland may refer to:
Places in the United States
(by state)
*Richland, California
* Richland, Georgia
* Richland County, Illinois
* Richland, Rush County, Indiana
*Richland, Iowa
*Richland, Michigan
*Richland, Mississippi (disambiguation)
*Richla ...
said was a drug deal gone wrong.
Two men were arrested in the case.
In an incident on a July 8, 2017 episode, Senior Deputy Chris Mastrianni was called to a fight in progress at a large house party when a car leaving the party passed him going about 90 mph. Mastrianni attempted to stop the vehicle, which then evaded him for several minutes. The car then turned a corner before jumping a curb, hitting a power pole's support wire and rolling over. The driver then crawled out the window of his vehicle with his 2-year-old daughter in his arms, and began fighting with Mastrianni. The man released his child, who was taken to safety by the ''Live PD'' field producer. After several minutes, Cpl. Mark Laureano and Senior Deputy Katelyn Jasak arrived on scene and aided Mastrianni in handcuffing and arresting the man, as well as pushing back the rapidly growing crowd of bystanders. The toddler received a broken arm in the incident.
On the November 16, 2018 broadcast, deputies of the
Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Ohio were shown serving an arrest warrant to theft suspect Storm Wisener. When the deputies located her and allowed her to put some clothes on before being transported to jail, a TV in the room they were in could be heard loudly playing a sex scene from the
Shameless episode "Church of Gay Jesus," complete with the sounds of
Emmy Rossum
Emmanuelle Grey Rossum (born September 12, 1986) is an American actress, director, and singer. She is known for her portrayal of List of Shameless (American TV series) characters#Fiona Gallagher, Fiona Gallagher in the television series ''Shame ...
's character, Fiona, moaning in pleasure. Shortly afterward, Abrams remarked, "So it seems Storm has been captured, but maybe
Stormy was in the background there."
In June 2020, it was revealed that ''Live PD'' had destroyed footage related to the March 28, 2019 police
killing of Javier Ambler
On March 28, 2019, Javier Ambler II died while being arrested by police in Austin, Texas, after fleeing from deputies who sought to stop him for a traffic violation. Ambler was tased multiple times by authorities. Video of Ambler's death, record ...
.
Ambler, a 40-year-old black man, did not stop when deputies tried to pull him over for failing to dim his headlights.
When Ambler finally left his car with his hands raised, he was tased multiple times and pinned by police, while pleading for his life and saying that he could not breathe.
The network said it was "evaluating" the program in the wake of the worldwide
George Floyd protests
The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and civil unrest against police brutality and racism that began in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020, and largely took place during 2020. The civil unrest and protests began as part of internati ...
. In September 2020,
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County (sometimes abbreviated as "Wilco") is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 609,017. Its county seat is Georgetown. The county is named for Robert McAlpin Williamson (1804?–1859), ...
Sheriff Robert Chody was indicted and arrested by the county for evidence tampering charges after allegedly destroying video evidence of Ambler in police custody. Chody was indicted by neighboring
Travis County
Travis County is located in south central Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,290,188. It is the fifth-most populous county in Texas. Its county seat is Austin, the capital of Texas. The county was established in 1840 and is na ...
on April 1, 2021, two days after the county indicted two of his former deputies on manslaughter charges for their actions.
Cancellation
In May 2020, A&E ordered 160 new episodes of ''Live PD''. After the
murder of George Floyd
On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's n ...
and the
riots and protests in response, A&E halted production of new shows on June 6. On June 9, Abrams said on Twitter "To all of you asking whether #LivePD coming back. . .The answer is yes. All of us associated with the show are as committed to it as ever."
However, on June 10, 2020, A&E and producers Big Fish Entertainment announced that ''Live PD'' would cease production, effective immediately. In a statement, A&E said "This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD. Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them. And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments." ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported that A&E executives felt they had no choice after
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was or ...
canceled ''
Cops'', even though they thought ''Live PD'' was a very different show.
Abrams appeared in several media outlets after the show was canceled, defending the show and its portrayal of police. He said he was "shocked & beyond disappointed" about its cancellation and added, "To the loyal #LivePDNation please know I, we, did everything we could to fight for you, and for our continuing effort at transparency in policing. I was convinced the show would go on." He said, "I think that it's very troubling that we're suddenly in a culture where all police officers have to … suffer for the sins of a few. And I say that for every group, it's not just police officers. That doesn't mean we don't have to have a discussion about the inequities in our society. And not just a discussion – action. There should be changes. … There's a real positive change in many ways going on in this country, but there's also an overreaction going on. And I think that that's what 'Live PD' suffered from." He also said ''Live PD'' was a documentary-style show, not an entertainment show like ''Cops'', and that the ''Live PD'' crew treated it very seriously.
At the time of cancellation, ''Live PD'' was the most popular show on A&E. In the month following its cancellation, viewership on A&E was down 49%.
On June 8, 2022, it was announced that a new program, ''
On Patrol: Live'', with a similar lineup of producers and hosts and a nearly identical format, would debut on the channel
Reelz
Reelz (formerly known as Reelz Channel) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The network's programming was formerly devoted to entertainment-oriented programming focusing on the Hollywood ...
. The new program was universally described in media outlets as a revival or return of ''Live PD''. On August 30,
A&E Networks
A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
filed suit against Reelz and Big Fish, alleging that the new program violates A&E's
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
rights in the ''Live PD'' name and format.
Associated programs
A few other associated programs have aired, including:
*''Live PD: Rewind'': A previous episode of ''Live PD'' that has been edited down to about one hour.
*''Live PD: Police Patrol'': A half-hour, unhosted format that shows unaired footage and highlights from previous episodes. This series is currently in its fourth season.
*''
Live PD: Roll Call'': A six-minute preview that airs an hour before that night's episode, includes that night's lineup of departments and officers and a previously unaired clip.
*''
Live PD Presents: Women on Patrol'': A program depicting policing activities, focusing on the female members of law enforcement's perspective.
*''
Live PD Presents: PD Cam'': Features events captured by police body, dash, helicopter and associated surveillance cameras. Hosted by Sean 'Sticks' Larkin. Episodes run a half-hour each.
*''PD Stories Podcast:'' A one-hour podcast hosted by Tom Morris Jr. The show revolves around interviewing members of law enforcement and personnel from associated organizations.
*''
Live Rescue
''Live Rescue'' (stylized as ''Live + Rescue'') is an American television program on the A&E Network. It follows live camera crew ride-alongs with fire departments and rescue squads in cities and towns across the country. The series is a spin-o ...
'': Features live camera crew ride-alongs with fire departments and rescue squads in cities and towns across the country. This series premiered on Monday, April 22, 2019, at 9PM on the
A&E Network
A&E is an American basic cable network, the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, television drama, dramas, and ...
.
*''Live PD Presents: Top Ten Police Vehicles'': A television special hosted by Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin counting down the top ten police vehicles from around the world. It aired on July 9, 2019, on the
History Channel
History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
.
*''Live PD: Wanted'': Law enforcement agencies are profiled during their searches for some of the most wanted fugitives throughout the United States. This series premiered on Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 10PM on the
A&E Network
A&E is an American basic cable network, the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, television drama, dramas, and ...
and is hosted by Tom Morris, Jr. On February 13, 2020, it was announced that the second season will premiere on February 27, 2020.
Syndication
Edited half-hour episodes of the series began to be distributed by
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainm ...
in the 2018–19 season in
broadcast syndication
Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where ...
under the title ''Live PD: Police Patrol'' (including previous episodes of ''Women on Patrol''); they were edited for content to meet daytime broadcast syndication standards to feature no audible commentary, and merely connected each segment with text of where the segment originated, along with the dispatched crime. The syndicated episodes were also a part of the national lineup of
The CW Plus
The CW Plus is a secondary national programming service feed of The CW that is fully controlled and 75% owned by Nexstar Media Group, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery each owning a 12.5% stake in the network. It is intended primar ...
. A week after the cancellation of the parent series, SPT confirmed that ''Live PD: Police Patrol'' would be withdrawn from syndication after June 19, 2020.
See also
*
Law enforcement in the United States
Law enforcement in the United States is one of three major components of the criminal justice system of the United States, along with courts and corrections. Although each component operates semi-independently, the three collectively form a cha ...
* ''
Cops''
References
External links
*
*
{{A&ENetwork Shows
American live television series
2016 American television series debuts
2020 American television series endings
2010s American reality television series
Law enforcement in the United States
Documentary television series about policing
2010s American crime television series
2020s American crime television series
A&E (TV network) original programming
English-language television shows
2020s American reality television series
American television series revived after cancellation