Live PD is the ratings-winning law enforcement ride-along show that ordinarily airs on Friday and Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. Eastern time on the A&E television network. Videographers embed in real time with officers from eight different police agencies. A Live PD recap follows below.

Because of 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.

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

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

As the Live PD disclaimer indicates, not all outcomes are known, and criminal charges 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 are covered with tattoos (as are some of the cops), love cigarettes, and often have warrants, along with carrying contraband on their person and/or in their vehicles, the latter which are often unregistered and/or uninsured.

Contraband plus no valid license/registration is usually an ill-advised combination as is contraband plus equipment malfunctions.

“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.

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 or warnings.

Some of the cops have become social media celebrities as a result of their participation in Live PD.

Expect the Unexpected

Traffic stops are often like a flea market. Viewers never know what the officers might find inside vehicles after either a probable cause search pursuant to a K-9 alert or consensual search. Moreover, no license, no registration, and no insurance consists of a trifecta in many of those stops.

Motorists sometimes claim to hold a valid driver’s license, but for some inexplicable reason, they aren’t carrying it with them. Or it was stolen.

Some, but not all, of the subjects 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 PDdoes not always provide an update of how cops resolved a particular encounter, if at all.

As alluded to above, K-9s well trained in drug detecting and human tracking regularly assist cops in their investigations on Live PD.

This Week on ‘Live PD’

If you’re wondering what happened on Live PD last weekend, a recap of Friday and Saturday night’s Live PD follows.

Host Dan Abrams and regular studio analysts Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin and Tom Morris, Jr., provided studio commentary as usual.

Again, please understand that what is depicted on the show, and summarized below, including any arrests, constitutes mere allegations.

‘Live PD,’ Season 3, Episode 62, May 3, 2019

  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers respond to a domestic incident but left scene to assist in high-speed pursuit, which was subsequently called off due to unsafe speed. Abrams updates that the case ended in a wreck of a stolen vehicle with driver taken into custody.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to two-car (sedan, truck) accident. Sedan driver tells officer he has no insurance.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies search impounded stolen truck. K-9 alerts underneath vehicle. About $200,000 in cash located in what Lt. Kennedy indicates is smuggled drug money.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to report of man allegedly beating woman with crowbar at storage facility. Officers find ammo in storage unit. Victim and crowbar not found. Man arrested for simple possession of meth. No battery charges.
  • Greene County, Mo. (pretaped segment): Deputies respond to alleged domestic assault (son on mom) report. Subject admits that he drank “a little bit” which he defined as four vodka shots. Subject arrested for domestic assault.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; speeding. Trooper gives driver a break by issuing lower-level ticket.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers attempt to serve warrant, but find that person or persons they spotted were not the subjects of the warrant(s). Subjects released.
  • Wanted segment, Gwinnett County, Ga. — Subject who fled from deputies has 17 active warrants.
  • Franklin County, Ohio — Deputies respond to report of alleged fight outside bar.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to car blocking roadway outside hotel. Deputies spot gun in plain view on floorboard. Car search.
  • Franklin County (pretaped segment) — Deputies respond to what turns out to be just a verbal argument between teen and mom at a party. Initial report about a gun is unfounded. No charges.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Traffic stop, K-9 alert. Deputies search car, which is full of stuff such as brand-new shoes and women’s jewelry. Driver charged with possession of stolen property. Vehicle towed.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; plates expired. None of the occupants had valid license.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A trooper pulled over a guy named Angel who proved to be anything but.” Traffic stop; no lights, expired paper tags. Driver uncooperative. Car impounded. Morris, Jr.: “[He] talked himself into handcuffs.”
  • Crime of the Week, Florida — Wild, three-county police chase of stolen truck.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; suspended license. Officer detects odor of marijuana in vehicle. Weed apparently found.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to car accident on I-35. Vehicle had front-end damage.
  • Franklin County, Ohio. — Traffic stop. Alleged stolen SUV based on running plate. Driver says it’s not stolen but a paperwork snafu.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; no lights. Driver indicates he had three shots. Field sobriety test; arrested on suspicion of DUI.
  • Franklin County, Ohio (pretaped segment): Abrams: “Who doesn’t love some leftover pizza. And for one guy in Franklin County, it was even worth fighting over.” Abrams: “Pizza is the most fought-after food in America–I just made that up.”
  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers respond to report of unresponsive convenience store clerk. Drug paraphernalia allegedly found in bag. EMS responds to scene.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to seated person hunched over next to building.
  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers respond to alleged disturbance outside hotel.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Cops traced stolen car to residence. Suspect detained.
  • Lawrence, Ind — Officers respond to call that grandmother at residence concerned about daughter allegedly driving drunk.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to possible loitering. Vehicle search; open container. Driver admitted to having small amount of marijuana.
  • Warwick, R.I. (pretaped segment) – Traffic stop; no light, broken trail light. Driver had suspended license. Couple indicates they are living in the car. Driver also apparently had multiple priors for driving under suspension, which normally results in arrest. Officer Steere gave them a break (officer discretion); no arrest. Wife, who has valid license, drives car.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Erratic driving. Driver pulled over on her own without being lit up.
  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers respond to hotel dispute over towels.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; speeding. Open container. Two kids not properly strapped in. Deputy administers field sobriety test to driver. Suspicion of DUI arrest.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; bike with no light. Bicyclist tells Lt. Kennedy he’s being harassed by someone in a car. Abrams: “It may be ‘bringing a bat to a gun fight’ situation.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop. Lt. Brown suspects driver may have swallowed dope.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Person suspected of being drunk in public. End of episode.

Live PD,’ Season 3, Episode 64, May 4, 2019

  • Greene County, Mo. — Motorcycle pursuit; evading police. Helicopter tracking in addition to deputies in cruisers. Suspect wrecked out; fled on foot. Deputies found him and took him in custody. Deputies confirm stolen bike.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; no seat belt. Driver admits to Trooper no license for 30 years. License suspended for driving under suspension. Passed field sobriety test. Arrested for felony traffic warrant.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Traffic stop; no plates. Female driver arrested for meth possession and child endangerment; male passenger issued ticket for meth. Stepdad picked up child. Child Protective Services investigating.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; expired registration, tail light out. Male arrested for possession and heroin. Female arrested for meth possession.
  • Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Officers respond to report of burglary in progress at residence. Abrams: “A pair of alleged burglars–in the back of their truck, everything but the kitchen sink. No, that might have been there too.” Duo arrested for burglary and theft.
  • Franklin County, Ohio — Traffic stop; dealer plate(?).
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; driver allegedly blew through red light. Driver informed deputy he had gun in car.
  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers respond to fire on beach. “No more s’mores.” Officer asked partygoers to put out fire (presumably, a local ordinance violation). Abrams: “Officer Jandreau extinguished that party pretty quickly.”
  • Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “What started as a dispute between two women at a service station frankly got a bit out of control.” Females allegedly argued over food stamps and a convenience store hot dog. No charges; both trespassed from convenience store and told to go their separate ways. Abrams: “Officers don’t relish going into a situation like that.” Morris, Jr.: “Beef over beef.”
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; driving infraction. No license.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Another motorcyclist evading police. Deputies tracked suspect to apartment complex. K-9 deployed. Suspect still at large.
  • Warwick, R.I. — Bicyclist allegedly offering drugs to kids. Officer cite subject for possession of marijuana.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Traffic stop; speeding motorcyclist. Subject apparently may not have had a motorcycle endorsement on license.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Guy at gas station approaches trooper about broken car window.
  • Okla. Highway Patrol — Trooper detains fleeing motorcyclist. Trooper allegedly finds bag of meth.
  • Salinas, Cal. — Officers respond to report of man who allegedly refused to leave a residence after asking to use phone. Suspect charged with breaking and entering, criminal threats, brandishing weapon, and possession of meth pipe.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to woman’s complaint that her ex showed up at front door in violation of no-contact order. Officers search for subject in apartment complex but unable to locate him.
  • Franklin County, Ohio — Traffic stop; moving violation. None of the occupants have driver’s licenses. Driver may have produced a fake ID. Car likely to be towed.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies detain wrong-way bicyclist with no lights on bike. Knife found. Deputies search subjects bag.
  • Williamson County, Tex. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “We can only imagine how much worse this could have turned out — a mother crashed her car with her baby in back seat.” Driver who allegedly struck two vehicles arrested on suspicion of DUI. No injuries to the baby or anyone else fortunately. Driver refused breathalyzer; blood test results pending.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Traffic stop; expired plates. Suspended license and no proof of insurance.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Traffic stop; speeding, no headlights.
  • Missing segment, Minneapolis, Minn.:
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to car parked in lot after dark. Woman had raccoon in cage in back seat. Apparently she regularly traps wild animals.
  • Warwick, R.I. — Officers spotted a man in a van down the river.
  • Greene County, Mo. — Deputies pull over a motorcyclist who allegedly ran red light. Deputy issued warning in connection with some driver’s license issue.
  • Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies make felony stop of alleged stolen vehicle. Driver arrested for theft of plates, displaying stolen plates, and narcotics possession. Unclear at this point if the issue is just stolen plates or if the car itself is stolen.
  • Lawrence, Ind. — Officers take subject into custody on child support warrants. He allegedly dropped a bag of weed on the ground.
  • Greene County, Ind. — Traffic stop for drag racing. End of episode.