Season 4, Week 8, 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) starting 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 currently from 12 different U.S. police departments and sheriff’s offices.

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 about 50 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 users @TLivepd, @LivePDFans, and @LivePDPundit along with several other Twitter feeds for the embedded clips and images.

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 the following:

“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.” 

Variety has more background from Cesareo:

“You could say Live PD was born out of necessity. Executives at Big Fish Entertainment, the production company behind it, realized that at a time when more TV viewers were moving to streaming services, a program that had to be watched live would be more compelling. The team noticed police departments across the U.S. ‘were providing these timely updates over the course of an evening’ to local residents via Twitter, says Dan Cesareo, who formed Big Fish. ‘We found it fascinating.’

“Getting things right took time — even after Live PD launched. Producers had to get access to police departments. Once they got on air, they had to learn to steel themselves against the temptation to jump from one feed to the next whenever a conflict or action appeared to be in the offing. ‘When you do something new that hasn’t been done before, there’s not a road map,’ says Cesareo. ‘It took us four to six months, probably, just to get comfortable with our own setup.'”

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.

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. Sometimes “not my car” also is part of the cop-citizen dialogue.

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,” or the equivalent, you can generally expect that things will quickly go sideways.

Some mouthy 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 just a warning.

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,” “bud,” “man,” “partner,” or “boss.” And instead asking subjects where they live, officers ask them where they “stay.”

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).

For law-abiding motorists sharing the road, the recurrence of non-insurance scenarios has to be disturbing.

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

In addition to a cigarette fixation, you’ll also note that subjects are typically clutching and/or using 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 weed-sniffing training.

This Weekend on Live PD

If you’re wondering what happened on Live PD this past week, 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 PD Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin provide studio commentary as usual.

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 20, November 22, 2019

  • Terre Haute, Ind. — Officer Gant questions pedestrian who appears allegedly “amped up.” Released with no charges.
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to domestic incident. Cops plus K9 search woods for male party who has a warrant for assault with a deadly weapon. Abrams: “K9 Riggs has titanium-capped teeth which apparently is not that uncommon amongst K9s, but that is not something you want to have to deal with if you are the suspect.”
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Cops locate man who has three outstanding warrants and take him into custody.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to residence on report of wife who allegedly shot husband. Male is transported to hospital; wound is fortunately not life threatening. Abrams: “So we have a victim there who has been shot int he stomach. The good news is that he’s apparently walking around. The suspect in that is the wife over disciplining a child.” Wife claims self defense. Case is being to turn out to investigators; no charges as yet.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Traffic stop. Car search. “Abrams: “So I think he’s saying he may have fake meth and fake dope in the car. Larkin: “it sounds like they purchased fake dope, which in some states is actually a crime to have. It’s called turkey dope — to sell fake dope and pass it off as real narcotics.” Abrams adds that it’s crime for the seller, not “not the sucker” (i.e., the person merely in possession). Substance found tested and indeed revealed to be fake. Driver and passenger released with no charges. Drug paraphernalia confiscated.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “Police respond to a report involving a driver on the run possibly with a kidnapping victim int he car.” Suspect is arrested the next day; it was also determined that no kidnapping victim was involved.
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to front porch light flashing “SOS.” Turns out it’s just a broken light.
  • Missoula County, Mont. — Traffic stop; passenger has warrant. Big dog in car. Graphic: “Sub-woofie in back.”
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers question pedestrian.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; motorcycle popping wheelies.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Traffic stop; driver detained. Driver receives citation for marijuana and released.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers respond to report of stabbing incident. Turns out male victim was struck with a belt buckle. Female subject claims self defense. Larkin: “This time of the year, we see more and more of [domestic incidents]. The colder weather, people are inside together–the holiday season a lot of times brings on stress, so we do see quite a bit of this.”
  • East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “It was a domestic dispute involving a mom, her grown son, and apparently a lot of alcohol.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to car accident; vehicle drove into a tree. Graphic: “tree-boned.”
  • Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “Officers were involved in a sting operation, but maybe not the kind you’d think.” Alleged burglary of banana tree. Two subjects detained; one stung by bees. Both charged with burglary. Abrams: “They should have tried to peel out of there…”
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to serious rollover accident. Abrams: “The good news is the injuries sound like they’re not that significant which is pretty amazing looking at that car.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officer Bishop questions pedestrians who may be allegedly inebriated. Bishop: “Outstanding. You’ve got to be kidding me or shifting me, literally…it’s gonna be hard to find you a ride now because you done sharted.”
  • Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A woman was shocked to discover her bag and phone had been stolen, and the alleged thief was also shocked, but in a different way.”
  • Mission, Tex. — Officers respond to burglar alarm at church.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Traffic stop; swerving. Deputies detect alleged odor of marijuana in car; vehicle search. Cpl. Clark: “Cockroaches everywhere–like a colony of hem.” Abrams: “We seen roaches in cars before, but never those kind of roaches.” Larkin: “Not ones that re moving.” Morris, Jr.: “With legs.”
  • Crime of the Week — Franklin County, Ohio.
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to burglary in progress at vacant apartment. Cops clear apartment; probably squatters who had already left by the time they arrived.
  • Richland County, S.C. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A trespassing call turned into a bet between a deputy and a suspect.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Traffic stop.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; expired registration. No ID. While Officer Bishop is handling traffic stop, a disturbance emerges at nearby apartment complex between neighbors about too-loud music. Bishop calls int hat incident and cops respond there. Abrams: “That looks a a heck of a lot more interesting than the traffic stop.” As far as the traffic stop is concerned, alcohol poured out, and driver and occupants released with no charges.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers stop motorist who was allegedly driving in reverse in apartment complex without wearing seat belt. Motorist allegedly tried to eat weed. Car search. Officers note that destruction of contraband is a felony. Weed confiscated. Driver released with no charges.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Traffic stop; running stop sign. Deputies allegedly detect odor of weed. Probable cause car search. Two small bags of white powder found.
  • Bradford County, Fla. — Traffic stop; tail light out. Deputies allegedly detect odor of weed in vehicle. K9 deployed but no alert. Driver receives written warning for tag light and released with no charges.
  • Nye County, Nev. — Traffic stop; speeding. Female driver: “You can not be an attractive woman in Texas because they will hate you…” Abrams: “It sounds like that move to the desert is gonna be a good thing for her.”
  • Missing segment — Hondo, Tex.
  • Jefferson County, Ala. — Vehicle puruit of possible stolen vehicle on highway. Deputes lose track of vehicle, and chase terminated. Cpl. Sunday’s cruiser overheats. Larkin: “It’s very frustration. You don’t like bad guys getting away. But, you know, in this situation, when they lose the car, usually what happens is they’ll coordinate over the radio, pass it to neighboring agencies–the type of car they’re looking for and if they have a tag, and they can kind of look at routes he might have fled from, and then maybe someone else will pick it back up.”
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers respond to disturbance at hotel. Manager wants guest to leave. Abrams: “It sounds pretty clear like it’s gonna end up with them out of the hotel.” Abrams: “It looks like Daisy [the dog] and the rest of the gang are gonna be out, but the most important thing is get Daisy to the bathroom.”
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; speeding. Abrams: It seems they’re having a little debate about math there.” Officer Hill: “If I’m going 40, and she [flies] past me, she’s got to be going over 40, right? The issue is she doesn’t understand, or she chooses not to understand, that she’s in the wrong. Those are the ones that are so frustrating because we don’t pull people over for no reason.” Graphic: “Mathematics not found.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputy Blanding chases man through motel and detains him. Two other subjects had previously been detained. The third man apparently bolted during questioning. Car search.
  • Bradford County, Fla. — Traffic stop; speeding. Car search. End of episode.

Live PD, Season 4, Episode 21, November 23, 2019

  • Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies respond to woman stranded on sandbar after canoe tipped over. The canoers found safe.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Officers attempt to serve warrant on woman. Homeowner says she no longer lives there, and family has cut ties with her. Abrams: “Sounds like dad is in a tough spot there considering that’s the address that is on file.”
  • Jefferson County, Ala. — Traffic stop; dealer paper tag. Driver allegedly threw something out the winder before stopping. Car search. Driver charged with possession of controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, attempt to elude, and possibly child endangerment (there was a kid int he car). Deputies unable to find item that may have been tossed out window.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop; speeding. Insp. Sroka interacts with driver and a passenger who seems reluctant to reveal his name: “She’s saying she doesn’t know your last name. What is up with society?” Driver and occupants released with warning for speeding.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; scooter ran stop sign. Officer Hill: “That’s a decent excuse because it makes sense.” Subject released with no citation issued.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Noise complaint at residence; dog barking outside. Dog seems to be barking at possum at fence. No one seems to be home. Abrams: “That possum looks a lot like Sgt. Larkin’s beard.” Dog taken to shelter temporarily.
  • Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies make well-being check on woman sitting in van with broken window. Deputies determine there are no issues. Abrams: “Just unbelievable that all those windows are blown out apparently because her brother had tried to blow up an ATM and is now sitting in prison on federal charges for it.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Deputies interact with subject outside of discount store. Truck search. Subject’s companion arrested for shoplifting. Subject released with no charges.
  • Nye County, Nev. — Sgt. Fowles spots someone setting off fireworks. Subject produces required permit.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “During a pursuit, a subject almost got hug out to dry, literally.” Subject got clotheslined by a clothesline in backyard during foot pursuit.

Abrams: “Sometimes it makes sense when people run, and other times it makes total sense when someone runs–when you’ve got seven outstanding felony warrants.” Morris, Jr.: “And he wasn’t running because of that piece of scrap metal he had.” Larkin reveals that early in his career he suffered a bruised abdominal wall injury from a yard clothesline during a foot chase.

  • East Providence, R.I. — Insp. Sroka investigates possible hit and run that caused a broken side mirror.
  • Jefferson County, Ala. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Deupties happened to pull over a driver who seemed less than willing to cooperate.”
  • Jefferson County, Ala. — Traffic stop; drugs found and inventories (unclear if this is a new segment or continuation of earlier investigation).
  • East Providence, R.I. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Officers attempted to ground someone they called a quote frequent flyer.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop; non-use of turn signal. Abrams: “It ain’t the pineapple they’re concerned about; it’s what may be with the pineapple.” Abrams: The guy “who wanted to go get some” released with no charges.
  • Missoula County, Mont. — Traffic stop; driving with high beams on. Driver cited for possession of alcohol as a minor; car’s occupants released with no citations.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Impromptu dance routine at gas station. Abrams: “America’s got talent.”
  • Bradford County, Fla. — Deputies investigate alleged drive-by shooting that occurred after traffic accident. Cops question victim.
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Suspect allegedly involved in purse snatching that was featured last night allegedly stole tip jar from restaurant. Cops search area and find an arrest him. It apparently is an automatically felony because of suspect’s priors.
  • Berkeley County, Fla. — Deputies respond to report of fight between two woman outside bar. One woman arrested for disorderly conduct.
  • Missoula County, Mont. — Deputies respond to scene where vehicle crashed into home. Abrams: “Well, they want to figure out if there were any drugs or alcohol or potentially some really bad driving.”
  • Terre Haute, Ind. — Officer Johnson attempts to stop bicyclist riding with no lights. Foot pursuit but subject gets away. Cops set up perimeter. Subject detained but later released with no charges. Johnson can’t 100 percent ID him although the bike itself matches the description.
  • East Providence, R.I. — Traffic stop; driver (“Boston driver”) passed patrol car in breakdown lane. Released with warning.
  • Crime of the Week –– Foley, Ala.
  • Tulsa, Okla. — Officers investigate possible hit and run. Field sobriety testing. Driver declines breath test and taken into custody. Larkin: “It’s pretty much a guarantee you’re gonna lose your license.”
  • Tallahassee, Fla. — Traffic stop; driver ran stop sign. Alleged known drug area. K9 deployed. Driver allegedly dropped pill bottle on ground. Car search.
  • Bradford County, Fla. — Traffic stop at gunpoint on burglary suspects. K9 deployed.
  • Wanted segment — Charlotte, N.C.
  • Jefferson County, Ala. — Deputies head to traffic stop to assist subject with warrants refuses to get out of car.
  • Missoula County, Mont. — Traffic stop on man who was reported missing. End of episode.