Season 4, Week 2 of the A&E Hit
Here’s what you missed on Live PD this weekend.
Live PD is the ratings-winning, three-hour law enforcement ride-along show that ordinarily airs fresh episodes on Friday and Saturday evenings (with occasional bonus episodes on other nights) at 9 p.m. Eastern time on the A&E television network. Live PD producers and videographers embed in real time with officers on patrol from eight different U.S. police agencies. Friday night’s episode aired from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time.
The Missoulian outlines the advantages and disadvantages of Live PD for law enforcement:
“Live PD has proven a mixed bag for cities and counties featured on the hit reality-TV crime show. Some police departments and sheriff’s offices have touted increased recruitment and public support after being filmed and broadcast live to the nation. But others have seen lawsuits, increased officer danger and pushback from citizens who felt the show focused on the worst parts of their hometowns. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office recently entered into a contract with Live PD…allowing the show unfettered access to its day-to-day operations. In a statement, MCSO said it was honored to be featured on the show beginning Sept. 20.
“But at least three jurisdictions have been sued by people filmed on the show, and others have reported impeded investigations, officers being distracted in dangerous situations, and negative publicity. Those issues are also accompanied by concerns of people being treated and portrayed as guilty, rather than allowing for a judge or jury to decide that, tarnishing the reputations of people falsely accused or acquitted.
“In Streetsboro, Ohio, a suburb of Akron, Police Chief Darin Powers eventually decided to end the contract with the show’s producer, Big Fish Entertainment, in 2018 after it began to cost the department money.
“Because filming crews were crowding the patrol cars, additional officers were needed to transport suspects, leading to manpower and overtime issues, Powers told the Columbus Dispatch at the time.”
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.)
A Live PD recap follows below.
Live Plus Previously Recorded Incidents
With 32 live feeds coming into the studio, most segments are broadcast 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) who usually compiles and shares video clips from each episode on social media. Also thanks to the @LivePDFans and @LivePDPundit Twitter feeds.
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.
Controlled Control Room Chaos
Don Cesareo, the founder and president of Live PD producer Big Fish Entertainment, told Deadline Hollywood that “Live PD is one of most enjoyable shows to produce because it’s such a challenge. We do a lot of prep work in terms of the field, but really what happens is that you show up on a Friday night and settle into the control room and all of the camera feeds come up and the show starts and we don’t have a run down and have three hours of TV to create. The easiest way to describe it is like having eight live breaking stories at the exact same time, but you don’t know all of the details. There’s an energy and controlled chaos that works.”
According to Cesareo, “The show originated after he and his team came across police departments that were live tweeting patrols.” Cesareo also mentioned that yet another spinoff, America’s Top Dog, is coming this winter.
And as announced, Live PD:Wanted, focusing on bringing fugitives to justice, premieres on October 17.
Rules or No 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.
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, and Other Mantras
“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.
Separately on the subject of wardrobe, males who appear on Live PD often don’t take the time to put on a shirt even when a cop shows up at their front door.
“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, many of whom are impressively observant when they question subjects or investigate crime scenes, have become social media celebrities as a result of their participation in Live PD. Some of them may have a career in media or politics after they retire.
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?” Cops often address subjects as “bro,” “dude,” “man,” or “boss.”
Expect the Unexpected
Traffic stops — the primary but not the only 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 for another legal justification.
Apart from drugs and weapons, among the weird items they often find include bottles of presumably clean urine used to circumvent a drug test. Sex toys also show up from time to time.
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.
You’ll also note that subjects are typically clutching their phones at all times no matter what, even officers are trying to talk with them or or even when getting cuffed.
Excessively tinted windows beyond what is legally allowed increasingly constitute a safety issue for officers in traffic stops.
Driver’s License Optional
Somehow in America, a valid driver’s license became an optional credential for many motorists. Driving with impunity while suspended has become a thing.
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 drivers 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. Sometimes cops will allow the motorist to drive directly home or call another licensed driver to the scene to take over behind the wheel.
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 in certain jurisdictions no longer get trained for weed sniffing.
This Weekend on Live PD
If you’re wondering what happened on Live PD this weekend, a recap/summary of Friday and Saturday night’s Live PD editions follows.
Host Dan Abrams — he of the puns and the double entendres — and regular studio analysts Tom Morris, Jr., and Tulsa, Okla., PD Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin provide studio commentary.
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.
Live PD, Season 4, Episode 5, October 4, 2019
Abrams: “This has been a wild night here. We’ve seen everything from a bison to a deer, a land shark, a giraffe, a pair of Crocs, a dog, and in studio, a Lamb.”
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to report of drug activity in apartment complex. Subject ran prompting foot chase. Subject detained after chase. Cpl. Laureano to subject: “I got people calling, saying people hanging out and people smoking dope. That’s why we’re all here. People hanging out and people smoking dope, and guess what I saw? People hanging out. I didn’t get a chance to figure out the smoking dope part because you took off running. So that’s where we’re at.” Deputies apparently search subject’s backpack but find no illegal contents, so he’s released. Abrams: “So he gets to walk away from that scene after a little run.”
- East Providence, R.I. — Officer spotted small dog on the loose in immediate neighborhood. Officer follows dog home to reunite it with owner. Morris, Jr: “He’s tiny, but he’s tough.”
- Lafayette, La. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “It was all hands on deck after a driver allegedly dragged a pair of officers during a traffic stop.” Multiple officers pursue suspect and take him into custody. Suspect had several outstanding warrants, plus possible new charges. Larkin: “If a guy’s got warrant for his arrest, and he’s willing to try to run over a law enforcement officer to get away, that’s a guy that needs to be off the streets.”
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies pursue vehicle fleeing from traffic stop. Subject detained; drugs allegedly found.
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers respond to report of burglary in progress. Neighbor apparently chased suspect into apartment complex. Officers search area.
- Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to domestic disturbance, a father-son dispute. Officers tell parties to separate for the night and warn that someone will be arrested if police have to return to residence on another call. Abrams: “So you’ve got two issues here. Number one is sort of bad behavior, and number two is possible criminality.”
- Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A driver picked a strange place for a power nap.” Officers respond to person asleep in vehicle on road. They awakened driver but he took off. Vehicle pursuit; traffic stop. Breath test allegedly indicated twice the legal limit. Officers to conduct DUI investigation at hospital where driver is transported.
- Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies provide assist to motorist who ran out of gas. Herd of bison in the background. Abrams: “We go from bison to lamb” — Pinal County, Ariz., Sheriff Mark Lamb sits in at the anchor desk for the rest of the show.
- Missoula County, Mont. — Traffic stop; swerving. Field sobriety test. Driver passes breathalyzer test. Receives ticket for open container.
- Crime of the Week — Salinas, Cal.
- Tulsa, Okla. — Officers conduct possible fraud investigation outside motel. Possible shoplifting of large amount of clothing. Two women questioned. One party arrested on outstanding warrants. Investigation to continue. Property confiscated.
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; tag violation. Officers notice cracked windshield and hood damage.
- Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Police came upon a wreck on the side of the road. It wasn’t smoking which apparently was a big problem.” In the aftermath of accident and during DUI investigation, driver seemed most concerned about access to cigarettes. Refuses field sobriety testing; arrested. Apparently will be required to give breath sample at jail. Abrams: “And it’s not driving under the influence of tobacco that is the issue here..him saying he didn’t have enough tobacco.” Morris, Jr.: “You remember Rick James said ‘cocaine is a helluva drug.’ Well, so is nicotine.”
- Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; license plate light out. No ID. Officers spot digital scale in plain view. Car search. Driver had two warrants. While in cuffs, driver fled on foot; cops re-take him into custody after a brief pursuit. Officer Bishop: “He’s screaming like a little girl out here…he apparently decided he wasn’t ready to go to jail.”
- Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to report of assault in progress. After questioning the victim and another persons, officers conclude that it apparently was a a false or exaggerated report to some degree.
- Richland County, S.C. — During traffic stop for illegal tag, accident occurs down the street. Officers immediately leave that call and pursue hit-and-run driver. Driver detained. No insurance. Larkin points out that if the other party is injured, it could be “felony hit and run as opposed to a misdemeanor.” State troopers to take over accident investigation.
- Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to report of burglary in progress. Watching remotely, homeowner apparently saw intruder on security camera. Subject detained on sidewalk while allegedly fleeing. Subject allegedly removed screens and climbed through window. Officers clear residence through unlocked front door.
- Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “Police pursued a car that appeared to be stolen.” Drugs found in abandoned vehicle. Cops search neighborhood; case in active, and suspect still at large. Morris, Jr.: “And that tactic of laying back and not pursuing actually worked out. It paid off, and the owner will get their car back.” Sheriff Lamb: “But the guy won’t get his dope back.”
- Lawrence, Ind. — Officer Bishop pulls into gas station to look for wife of man arrested in earlier sequence (at the man’s request), and driver in a van hits his cruiser. No good deed goes unpunished? Graphic: “That’s gonna leave a mark.” Driver apparently has no license or insurance. Officer Bishop explains that technically she wasn’t driving; someone was pushing van that had run out gas. Based on officer discretion (i.e., a huge break), Bishop does not issue any tickets. Crash report will be filed, and insurance needs to sort things out. Licensed driver to come to scene to drive vehicle home.
- Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to report of car break-in in store parking lot. Three subjects questioned. One subject is wearing a shark costume. Abrams: “So it seems it’s not just Jaws there who’s detained: It seems there are a number of people there who are being detained in connection with the windows broken in those cars.” Driver claims that he owns the vehicle in question but there is no paperwork to that effect. Officer Ross to subjects: “I’m the friendliest cop this side of like New Jersey, bro.” Abrams: “Looks like they may have jumped the shark there…the shark appeared to be almost passing out.” Larkin: “He’s out of water.” Man in shark costume arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possibly other charges (vehicle apparently stolen). Second man also charged. Truck owner released with no charges. Graphic: “Halloween still 27 days away.”
- Wanted segment — New York City.
- Salinas, Cal. — Officers provide backup to pursuit of fleeing suspect. Suspect taken into custody.
- Missoula County, Mont. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A report of one of the most common types of car accidents, and it didn’t involve two cars.” Vehicle hit deer at night.
- Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to report of man passed out on highway.” Officers awaken man and summon EMS to check him out. Abrams: “Well, the good news is he wasn’t driving.”
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers question pedestrian who, according to officers, appeared to be intoxicated.
- Tulsa, Okla. — Officer Bitting searches female who was detained in traffic stop. Crack pipe allegedly found in bra. End of episode.
Live PD, Season 4, Episode 6, October 5, 2019
- Lawrence, Ind. — Hit-and-run victim flags down officer. Incident occurred in store parking lot. Abrams: “That may be the first time that we’ve had a non-police officer telling us what happened.”
- Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to driver who appeared to be passed out in vehicle. Beer cans and machete found in vehicle. Abrams: “He admitted to drinking 12 beers. It looked like it was a mix-and-match case based on what was found in that vehicle.” Driver alleged tested almost three times the legal limit as measured by a breathalyzer. Driver arrested for DUI, cocaine possession, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Abrams: “He told the truth; that’s what 12 beers looks like.”
- Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; K9 alert. Car search. Bag of marijuana weighing less than one ounce allegedly found. Abrams: Regardless of how much they find, K9 Axel can open and close his door, which is amazing.” Driver issued ticket for driving on suspended license. Licensed driver needs to come to the scene to drive car home.
- Missoula County, Mont. — Traffic stop; truck was backing on highway to find items that fell out. Safety warning.
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers respond to dispute of fight between two truck driver and motorist. Tow guy allegedly tried to use stun gun.
- Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to motel where ex-boyfriend allegedly shot woman in chin. After an investigation and staging outside motel rooms, victim IDs suspect. Victim transported to hospital but her injuries are not considered life threatening.
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers respond to fight on street that was apparently prompted by incidental shoulder bump. Victim declines to press charges.
- Lafayette, La. — Traffic stop; truck. Officer detects alleged odor of marijuana on driver. Probable cause vehicle search. Drugs allegedly found in vehicle in cooler. During search, suspect ran, prompting a brief foot chase. Suspect detained and arrested on multiple charges. Abrams: “Not your ordinary picnic bucket there.”
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to house party noise complaint and ask homeowner to turn down the music.
- Wanted segment — Santa Clara, Cal.
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; officers spot man on roof of car.
- Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies respond to report of disturbance between two men in or outside bar. Both told to leave property.
- Lawrence, Ind. — During a violent carjacking investigation, officers spot fight in outside apartment complex. Chaotic situation; lots of yelling. One man and one woman detained. A 13-year-old boy was also an alleged victim. It turns out that detained man is suspected of being involved in carjacking. Officer Hickey: “Right now we’re trying to put all the pieces together. We’ve got two scenes that w’re working that are probably a couple of miles apart. Kind of weird how it all came together, but that’s how it works sometimes.” Larkin: “The way these things all tied together — sometimes police work is pure luck; good police work and stupid criminals.” Abrams: “Again, very different situation there. Now he’s not just a guy who happened to be on the scene. He’s a suspect in two very serious crimes.”
- East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Police were called to an accident involving a truck, and that’s when the wheels came off, literally.” Tire came off truck and struck car. Officer Graves: “Your truck is now a ‘trike.'” Driver receives citations for unregistered vehicle, mismatched plate, and no insurance. Truck towed and impounded. Abrams: “He may want to have a little chat with the person who had just done that work [on the truck].” Larkin: “To see if they’ve got a refund policy.”
- Tulsa, Okla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A car that had reported as stolen ended up being the least of their problems for both the driver and passenger.” Officers were scanning plates at motel to check for stolen vehicles. One vehicle came back stolen. It turned out that the driver was the actual owner, but both driver and passenger arrested on felony warrants.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to report of guy dancing around a gas pump. Vehicle search. EMS summoned to check driver out.
- Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A woman became a ‘number one’ suspect while trying to get into a gas station bathroom.”
- Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies spotted a stolen car and are staking out subject’s home waiting for subject to leave in car and also to prevent a pursuit.
- Missing segment — Southwest Ranches, Fla.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers investigation disturbance at apartment complex.
- Missoula County, Mont. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “Deputies were called to ‘bail’ out some ‘neigh-bors’ who had report an ‘unstable’ condition.” Deputies temporarily contain some loose horses in nearby backyard. Owner notified.
- Lafayette, La. — Officers respond to prowler who was knocking on window of a residence and search area.
- Tulsa, Okla. — Traffic stop after truck allegedly almost sideswipes Officer Bitting’s cruiser. Officer Ross says he detects strong odor of alcohol on driver. Field sobriety test. Driver arrested on suspicion of DUI.
- Salinas, Cal. — Traffic stop, bike, for no lights. Released with warning.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop. K9 Alert. Probable cause car search. Marijuana allegedly found and confiscated for destruction. Driver released with no charges.
- Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop; erratic driving. Driver says he is on the way to visit girlfriend. Abrams: “I don’t know how long they’re gonna be together now that he couldn’t remember her name.”
- Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to rollover accident with major front end damage to vehicle. FD safely extracts to occupants from wreck.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to car accident. End of episode.
