Live PD is the ratings-winning law enforcement ride-along show that ordinarily airs fresh episodes on Friday and Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. Eastern time on the A&E television network. This week includes a special bonus episode on Tuesday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern.

Videographers embed in real time with officers on patrol from eight different police agencies. A Live PD recap follows below. 

Given its often intense action, unpredictability, danger,  plus quirky and humorous, and sometimes mundane, interactions between cops and citizens, Live PD is perhaps the closest thing that even approaches appointment TV anymore in the fragmented entertainment space. (Live PD has also spawned several spin-offs.)

With 32 live feeds coming into the studio, most segments air on a reported five- to 20-minute tape delay. When nothing of interest is happening in real time, pretaped segments air, which Live PD describes as incidents that happened “earlier.”

For viewers, Live PD is addicting, which perhaps is an unfortunate choice of words in this context. While millions of Americans experiment — and more than experiment — with drugs when younger, Live PD reveals a self-destructive cohort hooked on narcotics (and/or booze) well into middle age and beyond.

Many thanks to Twitter user TG LivePD (@TLivepd) for compiling and sharing video clips on social media.

As the Live PD disclaimer indicates, not all outcomes are known or final, and criminal charges, if any, may have been reduced, dismissed, or never filed.

When alleged criminal activities are depicted on Live PD, all persons are presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.

Rules of the Road?

Many subjects who appear on the show in law enforcement interactions are covered with tattoos (as are the cops more often than not), love cigarettes, and often have warrants. They often carry contraband on their person and/or in their vehicles, the latter which are often unregistered and/or uninsured.

Transporting contraband such as controlled substances plus no valid license/registration is usually an ill-advised combination as is contraband plus vehicle equipment malfunctions.

Alleged drug traffickers who fail to abide by routine traffic laws or, as noted, lack working vehicle running lights or other related equipment, can also wind up in big trouble following a probable cause search.

Two Beers, Not My Pants

“I only had two beers” is a familiar mantra from motorists pulled over upon being asked by cops if they had anything to drink that evening.

Another mantra is “not that I know of” when cops question a subject as to whether there might be illegal drugs in a vehicle or even on their person. In the alternative, subjects also often claim that drugs “belong to a friend.”

From time to time, they also claim that the pants that they are wearing in which cops find drugs belong to a friend.

Not my jacket or not my purse are also familiar refrains.

In addition to the drug epidemic across across the country as well as alcoholism, the obesity epidemic is also frequently on display.

When a subject begins a sentence with “I’m going to be honest with you, officer,” you can generally expect that things will quickly go sideways.

Some combative subjects argue themselves into an arrest (i.e., talking themselves into handcuffs) even when cops are about to let them go with minor infractions, citations, or warnings.

Some suspects seem more concerned about smoking one last cigarette before jail than they are about going to jail.

Several of the cops, who are impressively observant when they question subjects, have become social media celebrities as a result of their participation in Live PD.

As an aside, officers across the country have a tendency to ungrammatically add the preposition “at” to the end of a sentence. I.e.: “Where do you live at?” or “Where is he/she at?”

Expect the Unexpected

Traffic stops — the primary enforcement actions seen on Live PD — are often like a flea market. Viewers never know what the officers might find inside a vehicles after either a consensual search or a probable cause search pursuant to a K9 alert or another factor.

Among the weird items they often find include bottles of presumably clean urine used to circumvent a drug test.

Moreover, as suggested above, no license, no registration, and no insurance consists of a trifecta in many of those stops. (A disproportionate number of pick-up trucks seem to have issues when stopped by law enforcement officers).

Mismatched plates, expired (and/or doctored) temporary tags, and the like are also frequent infractions.

Somehow, a driver’s license became an optional credential for many motorists.

Motorists sometimes claim to have a valid driver’s license, but for some inexplicable reason, they aren’t carrying it with them. Or it was stolen. Is it any wonder that the cops often ask the person behind the wheel if he or she has a drivers license on them? Occasionally driver will say that they have a picture of their license, registration, or other required documents on their phone rather than in their physical form.

Officers often give break to those who are driving illegally, however.

Judging by these traffic stops, driving while buzzed seems to be a growing, as it were, problem across the country. Weed laws vary significantly from state to state. Some jurisdictions have decriminalized possession of small amounts.

Some, but not all, of the subjects that police make contact with express excitement about being on Live PD (although occasionally they think they’re on Cops).

In switching quickly from sequence to sequence, and as you’ll see below, Live PD does not always provide an update of how cops resolved a particular encounter, if at all.

As alluded to above, K9s well trained in drug detecting and human tracking regularly assist cops in their investigations on Live PD. Note that because of changes in the laws of some states, K9s no longer train in weed sniffing.

This Week and Weekend on Live PD

If you’re wondering what happened on Live PD this week/weekend, a recap/summary of Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday night’s Live PD follows.

Host Dan Abrams — he of the puns and the double entendres — and regular studio analysts Tom Morris, Jr., and Tulsa PD Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin provide studio commentary on Tuesday evening. On Friday and Saturday night, however, Lawrence, Ind. Officer Charlie Kingery is scheduled to sit in for Larkin.

Live PD, Season 3, Episode 82, July 30, 2019

Again, please understand that what is depicted on the show, and summarized below, including but not limited to any arrests, constitute mere allegations. Initial assessments made by cops or Live PD may be incorrect.

  • Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to alleged domestic disturbance at apartment complex. Multiple officers standby for supervisor to arrive for permission to kick in door with suspect inside (locks may have been changed). Keys obtained for victim don’t work, so officers indeed force open door and enter. Apartment cleared; no one there.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop; consensual search. Deputies detect alleged odor of weed. Consensual car search, although driver thought glove box was off limits. Drugs allegedly found. Driver arrested. Vehicle impounded.
  • Williamson County Tex. — Traffic stop; consensual car search. K9 deployed. Driver released with citation of some kind. Lt. Kennedy explains that a hemp product with no THC tests the same as weed. He notes that the state legislature needs to clarify the law which has created unintended consequences.
  • Salinas, Cal. (pretaped segment) — Officers track down and arrest an alleged gang member wanted pursuant toa felony warrant.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Deputies respond to an alleged hit and run. Car completely flipped over in residential area. Driver located in home basement. Abrams: “Imagine coming out your front door, ‘honey, there’s something in the yard.'”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; unregistered vehicle with removal steering wheel that “makes it easier to get in and out.”. Driver recently got out of jail yesterday and is going into rehab tomorrow. Consensual car search. Deputies issue warning for expired reg. Abrams: “We encounter a lot of people who are about to take action ‘tomorrow’ when they are pulled over.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop for driving on shoulder. Driver had pacifier in mouth. Released with warning only. Abrams: “We know why he is being quiet in this car stop.”
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; vehicle towing another car with rope. No seat belt use.
  • Williamson County, Tex. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “During a traffic stop, it seemed most of what was in the car was illegal, that is, except for one adorable passenger.” Traffic stop; expired registration, no license, no insurance. Consensual car search. Troopers allegedly find meth pipe and drugs. Passenger arrested for possession. Driver released with dog, but he must call someone else with a valid license to drive car home. Abrams: “It’s not mine, it’s not hers; that dog is carrying around apparently a lot of drugs.”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; K9 alert. Probable cause search. Driver charged with felony possession of a firearm.
  • Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to report of stabbing and encounter man seriously bleeding from left hand. Victim does not answer cops questions about the identity of attacker. A neighbor taken into custody after woman IDs him. Investigation ongoing including into whether or not it might be a self-defense situation.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to toy car fire at apartment complex.
  • Lafayette, La. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A guy was pulled for for having fake tags but his desire to get the situation fixed actually seemed quite real.”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; brake light out. No license on driver’s person. Car packed with items from Goodwill store. (Unrelated, Lt. Kennedy spotted another passing vehicle with issues and radioed another deputy to follow that vehicle.) Driver released with warning only. Morris, Jr. “Get some goodwill.”
  • East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment) –Abrams: “A traffic stop…turned out to be a real drag for a driver.” Traffic stop for alleged racing with another vehicle. Officer issues ticket for speeding.
  • Crime of the Week — “Road rage roundup.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; headlight out. Officers detect odor of weed. Driver released with warning only. Abrams: “We’ve all had something that just needs a good hit to get it going.”
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop; driver ran stop sign according to officer. End of episode.

Live PD, Season 3, Episode 83, August 2, 2019

  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to report of a man allegedly attacking woman in apartment. SWAT call out initiated (male allegedly had a history with law enforcement. Subject detained. Officers clear apartment. Subject arrested on unrelated traffic warrant, but there are no charges connected to this incident.
  • Lafayette, La. — Officers attempt to make traffic stop on vehicle making improper lane change. Vehicle flees and avoided pursuing officers.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to woman apparently locked out of apartment. Confusing situation. Man from previous episode who claimed female friend stole his car at gas station shows up on scene.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; no license, seat belt violation. Driver says that his vehicle recently stolen and recovered. Thieves apparently fixed his air conditioning unit while they had the car. Trooper Callicoat issues ticket for driving under suspension and for failure to wear seat belt. Driver has to park car and walk home. Callicoat gave him a break rather that arresting him and towing car. Abrams: “[He] got robbed by the Robin Hood of criminals.”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; car search. Abrams: “Apparently the driver has already admitted to having a meth problem, and, get this, he’s also said that he’s done time for human trafficking.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A report of a woman shoplifting, but before officers could arrive, she took off — her clothes.” Officers respond to this call and find suspect hiding in car repair shop after searching premises. The business where the alleged shoplifting occurred wants to press charged; she was also arrested on an outstanding warrant. Abrams: “Not the best way to go incognito when you’re trying to hide somewhere.”
  • Greene County, Mo. — Deputies respond to residence after woman calls 911 expressing a desire to go back to jail. Apparently woman and another occupant got into argument about coffee creamer. Morris, Jr.: “Strange and sort of sad.”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; erratic driving.
  • East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “You know, the back seat of a police car isn’t typically known for its full-grain leather upholstery and spacious interior, but someone apparently forgot to tell that to one woman…” Officers respond to report of woman walking in the road. The apparently picky subject refuses to accept ride in several different police cruisers; paramedics transport her to hospital for evaluation. Abrams: “She said, ‘I can’t do bar,’ which under the circumstances is a bit ironic.” Kingery: “They don’t make our cars very comfortable int he back — they’re not built for comfort.”
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop. Driver initially pulled over into high-speed lane; officer tells him to pull into breakdown lane.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Deputies respond to car accident. An 18-year-old driver bleeding from the head. Paramedics respond. Once scene is stabilized, the highway patrol will take over investigation. Abrams: “All parties involved seem to be handling it about as well as you can expect considering the circumstances.”
  • Crime of the Week — Cashion, Okla. This is the incident that made national headlines in which an officer Tased and arrested a 65 year old woman over a $80 ticket. Woman charged with felony assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrested. Abrams: “She is a country girl and is gonna be serving some time in a country facility.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers spotted possible argument among females in SUV in parking lot. SUV flees, prompting a pursuit. Occupants bailed. One detained. Alleged baggies of crack cocaine found. Officers search neighborhood for three other occupants, one of whom was subsequently detained. Officers find possible stolen merchandise in vehicle.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; alleged ran red light; expired tag. No insurance. Wine opener holding up rear window. Abrams: It’s called added value in the car; that corkscrew in and of itself gotta be worth six bucks.” Trooper Callicoat issues tickets for driving under suspension and expired registration. Vehicle parked at scene; someone coming to give occupants a ride home.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop (guy with size 18 shoes). Released with warning for lights.
  • Lafayette, La. — Traffic stop; allegedly running stop sign. No registration or insurance. Officers allegedly spot needle in car. Driver receives summons for marijuana, two traffic citations, and police will be testing the syringe. Passenger released with no charges.
  • Salinas, Cal. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Some people when apprehended simply surrender quietly, and then there was a this guy…who really made a big stink.” Traffic stop; failure to yield. Short police pursuit after driver allegedly fled. Driver arrested for reckless driving and felony evasion in the pursuit.” Kingery: “It definitely stinks to be the officer that has to drive that guy to jail.”
  • Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to report of burglary in progress. Officers clear house with K9. Suspects apparently fled before cops arrived.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; speeding (allegedly 100 MPH). Field sobriety test. Driver arrested for DWI.
  • Missing Update plus new information:
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop. Field sobriety test. During this stop, Trooper Callicoat warns a passing car about unsecured child in back seat.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop; suspended license. Crack pipe allegedly found.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to report of man beating up a woman and fleeing after pouring ammonia all over apartment. Deputies clear apartment; subject is not there. Investigation ongoing.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to scene of car accident with injuries and report of people fighting.
  • Williamson County, Tex. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “A traffic stop led to a deputy having to take ‘a shot in the dark’ with his camera.” Traffic stop; vehicle did not come to a complete stop at stop sign. Deputy documents passenger as a gang member by taking pictures of his tattoos with passenger’s consent. Driver released with no charges.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Officer spots trash outside car and questions driver and passenger. Abrams: “Alleged litter bugs…it seems Cpl. Silva thinks he may be talking some trash here.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers return to same apartment complex as in first sequence (but different unit) on a report of a possible fight. Everything seems okay; residents having a party.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; motorcycle. License plate issue.
  • Lafayette, LA. — Traffic stop; multiple occupants detained. One occupant allegedly swallowed weed. End of episode.

Live PD, Season 3, Episode 84, August 3, 2019

  • Greene County, Mo. — Deputies pursue speeding reckless driver in possibly stolen truck who they say was involved in several motor vehicle accidents. Later update: Multiple fatalities in accidents; suspect detained.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to report of burglary in progress. Two men detained at vacant residence. Officer Muscutt: Subjects allegedly trespassing or squatting; one subject has a felony no-bail warrant. Police questioning a third subject.
  • Lafayette, La. — Officers to report of a disturbance at bar. Subject asked to leave premises. Abrams: “Maybe next time when hie is trying to talk to her, he’ll let his shirt do the talking”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop, mismatched plates. Driver released with warning; no charges.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Multiple deputies detain suspect who allegedly threw gun out of waistband. Deputies search area; allegedly find baggie of white powder on sidewalk.
  • Lafayette, La. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “We often hear police ask if anything is going to poke or stick them, which obviously would have been a concern during a call earlier in Lafayette.” Officers respond to report of naked guy causing a disturbance in apartment complex. Four officers combine to take take him into custody after Taser deployed and drop kick. Roommate claims they took acid. Abrams: “That would definitely be a bad trip…” Kingery: “I’m just glad to see that somebody at that apartment complex owned a pair of pants. Morris, Jr. “Textbook dropkick.”
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop, truck. Trooper questions driver about passenger.
  • East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “what started as a domestic disturbance call quickly turned into a couples counseling session.” Officers respond to verbal disturbance at residence. Insp. Sroka: “That went from hot to cold.” No charges involved. Woman asked to leave the premises. Male declines the option of submitting trespass paperwork.
  • El Paso, Tex. — Abrams extends condolences to the horrific El Paso mass shooting victims and their families and pass tribute to first responding agencies including El Paso PD for their response.
  • Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to report of a driver trying to leave the scene of an accident. Traffic stop; driver disregards command to get out of car and sits there smoking a cigarette. Multiple officers surround vehicle which has tinted windows and which is blocked in by cruiser. Officers finally pull driver out of car. Officers clear car; no other occupants. Cpl. Fontenot says that driver is “obviously intoxicated” and that he claims he doesn’t speak English.
  • Lafayette, La. — Multiple offers respond to report of possible home invasion by armed individuals. Multiple subjects ordered to exit house and detained. Officers thoroughly search residence. Turns out the people are apparently filming a movie that involves the use of fake guns. Cpl. Fontenot says that officers found plastic toy guns in home and that “obviously some type of filming going on.” Morris, Jr. “‘Once upon a time in Lafayette.’ If you’re gonna be shooting a film, you should notify police. If you are using firearms, you should notify police ‘we’re going to be filming at this location using firearms,’fake or real, whatever, blanks, whatever, you should notify…” Kingery: “The neighbors don’t know what’s going on here; the police can only go off what the dispatch has to say.” Abrams: “And that’s a wrap…my question now is do these people in their actor credit IMDB page include ‘as seen on Live PD‘?”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; tail light out. Driver apparently has no license. Deputy Thomas says car smells like weed; driver denies having weed in vehicle. Car search. Deputies allegedly find Ectasy in passenger’s bag; passenger; arrested for possession of a controlled substance; deputy says driver will be released with no charged as long as officers find no other drugs in vehicle.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Foot pursuit in apartment complex. Subject detained. Deputies find dumped bag in bushes; deputies allegedly find gun and drugs. Lt. Brown indicates that odor of weed was coming from vehicle. Four subjects detained. Deputies allegedly find large amount of drugs and cash in vehicle.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop. Driver allegedly admitted to have some marijuana. Car search; joints found. Abrams: “Looks like a sort of drug cannoli there on the roof of the car.”
  • Salinas, Cal. — Officer questions possibly suspicious person outside of business who says he works there.
  • Wanted segment — Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Troopers provide backup to local officers on report of armed robbery. Cops take three suspects in alleged carjacked vehicle into custody at gunpoint at fast-food drive thru. Pistol allegedly found in vehicle. Abrams: “A carjacking followed by an immediate drive thru–wow.”
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop.
  • Lafayette, La. — Cpl. Fontenot chats with man holding Liz the snake.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “a DUI suspect was having trouble counting, and that was before the field sobriety test.” Traffic stop; erratic driving. Driver tells Trooper Callicoat that she had four or five shots. DUI arrest; car towed. Trooper Callicoat gives Joe the dog, the driver’s canine, a ride home to driver’s husband.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; speeding and changing lanes without signalling. Driver claims he is on a diaper run. Trooper Callicoat spots bottle of alcohol with broken seal in car. Field sobriety test.

Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; apparent license plate issue. Suspended license. K9 alert. Probable cause car search. Deputy allegedly find a large baggie of meth in vehicle. Driver arrested. Kingery: “I don’t think there is any pizza inside that vehicle.” Abrams: “But it got me hungry listening to the various descriptions of the ingredients.”

  • Salinas, Cal. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A group of teens found themselves in trouble after an encounter with a loose bobcat.” Officers respond to report of a bulldozer stolen by some juveniles who allegedly abandoned it after their joyride. Multiple subjects on bikes detained. A 15 year old released to parents with a ticket for vehicle theft; an 18 year old taken to jail for vehicle theft.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to two regulars (who have appeared on Live PD before) about a missing scooter. Abrams: “This is literally unscripted…that would be a catcall.” Kingery: “We deal with them almost daily. It’s either Dan making the call, Cecil, or the cats; someone’s making the call…they’re usually always intoxicated and the cat’s probably sick of it…”
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop. Driver wearing what he says is a brake-dance suit. Abrams: “So he’s not French paramilitary.”
  • East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to report of break-and-entering in residence. They search neighborhood for prowler and set up perimeter in area. End of episode.