Live PD#Syndication

{{Overview section|date=August 2024}}

Live PD was hosted by Dan Abrams, the chief legal affairs anchor for ABC News.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/dan-abrams-named-nightline-anchor-and-chief-legal-affairs-anchor-for-abc-news/ |title=Dan Abrams Named Nightline Anchor and Chief Legal Affairs Anchor for ABC News |date=June 19, 2013 |website=ABC News |publisher=ABC News Internet Ventures |access-date=February 17, 2017 }} 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, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Tulsa Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff's Office, Berkeley County Sheriff's Department, and the Pomona Police Department.{{cite tweet|user=OfficialLivePD|number=1194299128613879808|title= ‼️It's the announcement you've all been waiting for ‼️ #LivePDNation, see which four departments will be joining us Friday and Saturday at 9PM for the next four weeks of #LivePD! 🚔|author=Live PD on A&E|date=November 12, 2019|access-date=June 10, 2020}}

Abrams was joined in-studio by two co-analysts: former Washington, D.C., special police officer and crime reporter Tom Morris Jr.{{cite web | last1=Morris | first1=Tom Jr. |title=LinkedIn: Tom Morris, Jr. |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommorrisjr/ |website=LinkedIn |access-date=June 11, 2020}} 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 on the show which may range from a few seconds to several minutes.{{cite web |url=https://www.woodtv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2020/02/2020-01-16-LIVE-PD-Access-Agreement-w-Van-Buren-County-Sheriff’s-Office.pdf|title=Live PD Access Agreement}}

Live PD was frequently the top-rated cable program on Friday and Saturday nights.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-21/a-e-s-live-pd-is-cable-tv-s-best-bet-to-compete-with-streaming|title=A Live Reality Cop Show Is Cable TV's Best Bet to Compete With Streaming|website=Bloomberg|last=Palmeri|first=Christopher|date=August 21, 2019}}

Throughout the month of April 2020, Live PD was broadcast under an amended format which focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 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.{{Cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=June 9, 2020|title='Cops' Canceled By Paramount Network, 'Live PD' Return Evaluated By A&E|url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/cops-canceled-paramount-network-live-pd-return-evaluated-ae-1202954910/|access-date=June 9, 2020|website=Deadline}}

{{main|List of Live PD episodes}}

{{:List of Live PD episodes}}

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 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Infant-s-death-on-reality-TV-probed-in-10827495.php |title=Infant's death on reality TV probed in Bridgeport |last=Lockhart |first=Brian |date=December 30, 2016 |newspaper=Connecticut Post |publisher=Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC |access-date=February 17, 2017 }}

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 said was a drug deal gone wrong.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arrests-in-case-of-benjamin-johnson-man-seen-dead-on-live-pd-reality-tv-show/ |title=Arrests in case of man seen dead on police reality TV show |date=January 26, 2017 |website=CBS News |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc. |access-date=February 17, 2017 }} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.wltx.com/news/local/live-pd-arrest-involving-child-in-columbia-creates-stir/455284696|title=Live PD Arrest Involving Child in Columbia Creates Stir|date=July 9, 2017|publisher=WLTX|access-date=January 6, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wistv.com/story/35872223/doctors-2-year-old-girl-was-injured-in-live-pd-chase|title=Doctors: 2-year-old girl was injured in 'Live PD' chase|last=Gaither|first=Tanita|date=July 13, 2017 |publisher=wistv.com|access-date=January 6, 2018}}

In June 2020, it was revealed that Live PD had destroyed footage related to the March 28, 2019 police killing of Javier Ambler.{{cite news|last1=Osborne|first1=Claire|last2=Plohetski|first2=Tony|title='Live PD' says video of in-custody death of Javier Ambler has been destroyed|agency=Austin American-Statesman|url=https://www.statesman.com/news/20200609/lsquolive-pdrsquo-says-video-of-in-custody-death-of-javier-ambler-has-been-destroyed|access-date=June 10, 2020}} Ambler, a 40-year-old black man, did not stop when deputies tried to pull him over for failing to dim his headlights.{{cite news|title=Newly-released video shows Texas man begged "I can't breathe" during fatal arrest|agency=CBS News|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/javier-ambler-i-cant-breathe-texas-police-taser-died/|access-date=June 10, 2020}}{{cite news|last1=Plohetski|first1=Tony|title='I can't breathe!' {{!}} Video released from 2019 death of Austin-area black man in deputies' custody|agency=KVUE|url=https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/javier-ambler-death-investigation-williamson-county-sheriffs-live-pd/269-9065fe1e-bb16-439f-a008-fa74f741d5b4|access-date=June 10, 2020}} 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. In September 2020, Williamson County, Texas Sheriff Robert Chody was indicted and arrested by the county for evidence tampering charges after allegedly destroying video evidence of Ambler in police custody.{{cite web|last=Del Rosario|first=Alexandra|title='Live PD' Sheriff Indicted For Tampering With Video Evidence of Black Man's Death|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/live-pd-sheriff-indicted-tampering-evidence-javier-amblin-death-1234586616/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 28, 2020}} Chody was indicted by neighboring Travis County on April 1, 2021, two days after the county indicted two of his former deputies on manslaughter charges for their actions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/03/31/austin-javier-ambler-williamson-county-grand-jury-indict/4813414001/|title="Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody surrenders on evidence tampering charge in Javier Ambler II's death,"|newspaper=Austin American-Statesman|date=April 1, 2021|last=Plohetski|first=Tony}}[https://www.kxan.com/news/indicted-former-williamson-county-deputies-charged-with-manslaughter-in-death-of-javier-ambler/ "INDICTED: Former Williamson County deputies charged with manslaughter in death of Javier Ambler,"] from KXAN-TV, March 30, 2021

In May 2020, A&E ordered 160 new episodes of Live PD.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/ae-live-pd-jeff-foxworthy-wwe-1202927837/|title=A&E Orders 160 More Eps Of 'Live PD', Jeff Foxworthy Live Treasure Format & WWE Memorabilia Series|website=Deadline|last=White|first=Peter|date=May 7, 2020}} After the murder of George Floyd 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."{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/live-pd-host-dan-abrams-show-coming-back-after-pulled-from-air|title='Live PD' host Dan Abrams says show is 'coming back' after being pulled from air: 'We are not abandoning you'|last=Day|first=Nate|website=Fox News|date=June 9, 2020}}

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 reported that A&E executives felt they had no choice after Paramount Network canceled Cops, even though they thought Live PD was a very different show.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/live-pd-canceled-return-dan-abrams-1234632290/|title='Live PD': Inside A&E's Swift Decision to Cancel the Show, and Whether it Will Ever Return|date=June 11, 2020|last=Schneider|first=Michael|website=Variety}}

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."{{Cite news|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jun/15/cops-live-pd-are-canceled-amid-protests-spokane-ha/|title=As Stuckart celebrates cancellation of 'Cops' and 'Live PD,' Knezovich expresses disappointment|website=The Spokesman-Review|last=Shanks|first=Adam|date=June 15, 2020}} 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."{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/06/11/live-pd-host-dan-abrams-reacts-a-e-cancellation-during-protests/5346628002/|title='Live PD' host Dan Abrams calls cancellation an 'overreaction,' laments broad-brush police blame|website=USA Today|last=Keveney|first=Bill|date=June 11, 2020}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/live-pd-dan-abrams-cnn-brianna-keilar|title='Live PD' host clashes with CNN anchor who claims show lacked 'social responsibility'|last=Wulfsohn|first=Joseph|website=Fox News|date=June 11, 2020}} It is also indicated the cancellation was in part due to destruction of evidence.{{Cite web|title='Live PD' was canceled. But in one Texas county, its twisted legacy lives on |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-pd-was-canceled-one-texas-county-its-twisted-legacy-n1242746/|access-date=January 30, 2024|website=NBC News|date=October 11, 2020|last=Rappleye|first=Hannah}}

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%.{{Cite web|date=July 24, 2020|title=A&E Lost 49% Of Its Viewers After Dropping 'Live PD' -|url=https://kiss951.com/2020/07/24/ae-lost-49-of-its-viewers-after-dropping-live-pd/|access-date=July 24, 2020|website=Kiss 95.1}}

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. The new program was universally described in media outlets as a revival or return of Live PD.{{Cite magazine |last=Baldwin |first=Kristen |date=June 9, 2022 |title=Live PD is back — with a new name and network |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/live-pd-return-reelz-dan-abrams-1235288210/ |access-date=June 11, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=June 8, 2022 |title='Live PD' To Be Revived on Reelz This Summer as 'On Patrol: Live,' Hosted by Dan Abrams |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/live-pd-return-reelz-dan-abrams-1235288210/ |access-date=June 11, 2022}} On August 30, A&E Networks filed suit against Reelz and Big Fish, alleging that the new program violates A&E's intellectual property rights in the Live PD name and format.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/ae-sues-reelz-over-alleged-live-pd-knockoff-on-patrol-live-1235208989/|title=A&E Sues Reelz Over Alleged 'Live PD' Knockoff 'On Patrol: Live'|first=Winston|last=Cho|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 30, 2022|access-date=August 31, 2022}}

Live PD spawned various spin-offs on A&E, including:

• Live PD: Rewind: A previous episode of Live PD that has been edited down to about one hour.{{cite web|title=Live PD: Rewind TV Show: News, Videos, Full Episodes and More|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/live-pd-rewind/1051233/|work=TV Guide|access-date=March 19, 2018}}
• Live PD: Police Patrol: A half-hour, unhosted format that showed unaired footage and highlights from previous episodes.{{cite web|title=Live PD: Police Patrol TV Show: News, Videos, Full Episodes and More|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/live-pd-police-patrol/1065081/|work=TV Guide|access-date=March 19, 2018}} This series is currently in its fourth season.
• Live PD: Roll Call: A six-minute preview that aired an hour before each night's Live PD episode. It included that night's lineup of departments and officers and a previously unaired clip.{{cite web|title=Live PD: Roll Call TV Show: News, Videos, Full Episodes and More|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/live-pd-roll-call/1147172/|work=TV Guide|access-date=March 19, 2018}}
• Live PD Presents: Women on Patrol: A program depicting policing activities, focusing on the female members of law enforcement's perspective.{{cite web|title=Lifetime Kicks Off June with Two Unscripted Premieres, LIVE PD PRESENTS: WOMEN ON PATROL & ESCAPING POLYGAMY|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Lifetime-Kicks-Off-June-with-Two-Unscripted-Premieres-LIVE-PD-PRESENTS-WOMEN-ON-PATROL-ESCAPING-POLYGAMY-20180425|work=Broadwayworld.com|date=April 25, 2018|access-date=June 8, 2019}}
• Live PD Presents: PD Cam: Featured events captured by police body, dash, helicopter and associated surveillance cameras. Hosted by Sean 'Sticks' Larkin. Episodes run a half-hour each.{{cite web|last=Ristau|first=Reece|title=Tulsa Police Sgt. Sean 'Sticks' Larkin offers his huge following a new A&E show 'PD Cam'|url=https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/tulsa-police-sgt-sean-sticks-larkin-offers-his-huge-following/article_d3f042aa-9af9-5593-9e20-feb1ce8e63ef.html|work=Tulsa World|date=July 18, 2018 }}
• PD Stories Podcast: A one-hour podcast hosted by Tom Morris Jr. The show revolved around interviewing members of law enforcement and personnel from associated organizations.{{cite web|title=PD Stories|url=https://audioboom.com/streams/4956251|work=audioboom.com}}{{cite web|title=PD Stories Podcast|url=https://www.aetv.com/shows/live-pd/pages/pd-stories-podcast|work=A&E}}
• Live Rescue: Featured 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. The last live episode aired in January 2021.
• 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.{{cite web|title=Live PD Presents: Top 10 Police Vehicles|url=https://www.history.com/specials/live-pd-presents-top-10-police-vehicles|work=History|access-date=October 24, 2019}}
• Live PD: Wanted: Featured searches for fugitives wanted throughout the United States. This series premiered on Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 10PM on the A&E Network and was hosted by Tom Morris, Jr. The second season premiered on February 27, 2020.{{cite web|title=A&E Renews "Live PD: Wanted" for Season 2|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/02/13/aande-renews-live-pd-wanted-for-season-2-932415/20200213aande01/|work=The Futon Critic|date=February 13, 2020}}

Edited half-hour episodes of the series began to be distributed by Sony Pictures Television in the 2018–19 season in broadcast syndication 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. 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.{{cite news |last1=Albiniak |first1=Paige |title='Live PD Police Patrol' Canceled in Syndication |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/live-pd-police-patrol-canceled-in-syndication |access-date=June 17, 2020 |work=NextTV |date=June 17, 2020 }}

{{Portal|Television|Law|United States}}

• Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Unstructured Reality Show
• List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests
• List of television series revivals
• To Serve and Protect

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb title|6225166|Live PD}}

{{Live PD|state=expanded}}

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