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. 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 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 (see below), 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. 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.
“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.”
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 suspects seem more concerned about smoking one last cigarette before jail than they are about going to jail.
Several 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 have 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 PD does 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 this weekend, a recap of 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 guest analyst Officer Jill Marshall of Warwick, R.I. PD provided studio commentary.
Marshall’s appearance (in place of Tulsa Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin) may be a precursor to Warwick leaving the show either temporarily or permanently.
Note: Santa Fe, N.M., and East Providence, R.I. join the show for the first time.
‘Live PD,’ Season 3, Episode 66, May 31, 2019
Again, please understand that what is depicted on the show, and summarized below, including any arrests, constitute mere allegations.
- Salinas, Cal. — Officers spotted stalking suspect; conducted high-risk traffic spot. Suspect detained.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to shot fired report in residential neighborhood. Subject told officers he was shooting birds with a BB gun. Abrams: “May not have been an active shooter; it may have been some active birds doing their business.” Subject also had a real gun on his person. He was released with no charges; had valid CCW permit.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to car accident.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers respond to report of fight at hair salon. Abrams: “A blowup over a blow out.” Graphic: “Hair-raising situation.” Customer’s boyfriend allegedly got aggressive/hostile with stylist. Owner does not wish to press any charges. Officer tells customer not to return to salon. Customer says she has no intention of doing so.
- Oklahoma Highway Patrol — Troopers respond to highway accident.
- Warwick, R.I. (pretaped segment) — Officers and Fire Department respond to man stuck in totaled car who allegedly ran into five boats. FD has to cut through the car to release driver. Officer Elderkin: “You got a convertible now.”
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Troopers respond to two subjects on motorized bikes that apparently were not street legal. Female fled; resisted. Arrested on outstanding felony warrants.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to car accident.
- Greene County, Mo. – Deputies respond to report of a home break-in. Assisted by K9, deputies clear house; no intruders found. Incident may have involved an ongoing family dispute.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers respond possible break-in at business. Location cleared; no intruders found.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies encounter lady from a previous episode who is feeding cats and raccoons.
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies detain couple and conduct probable cause search. Marijuana allegedly found in vehicle.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Driver allegedly ran stop sign. She tells deputy that she consumed “two shots of vodka.” Field sobriety test administered. DUI arrest.
- Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Traffic stop; brake light out. Officer says that the vehicle was leaving a known narcotics sales area. No license. Abrams: “This guy found himself in trouble after allegedly trying to his his rocks off from his car.” An occupant allegedly tossed meth out of car window. Driver and passenger charged with possession and obstruction. Abrams: The estimated 60 grams of meth had an approximate $6,000 street value.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Operator of four-wheeler trying to evade police; subject detained.
- Fayetteville, N.C. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “There was a pursuit of a stolen car with an ending that was positively lights out.” Car crash; car flipped over. Two subjects fled; one detained. Subject faces multiple charges.
- Crime of the Week — Louisiana — police pursuit. Abrams: “That’s called bad choices.” [no video clip released yet]
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; broken tail light. Consensual search. Driver allegedly had previous infractions. Driver released; no charges.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Possible break-in at residence. Officers subsequently called off.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers respond to report of man shoving woman. Man allegedly had warrant.
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies approached park vehicle. Driver revoked consensual search. Driver and passenger subsequently released with no charges.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to suspicious vehicle in hotel parking lot. Officers confiscated marijuana; occupants released with no charges.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; broken tail light. No license. Subject admits to marijuana in pants.
- Greene County, Mo. — Business reports woman asking for gloves which it seemed to think was strange. Woman apparently ran out of gas. Was smoking cigarette while holding gas canister. Graphic: “Cigarette + Gasoline = Dangerous.” Woman arrested on three active warrants.
- Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “Hurricane season started a little early for one man who seemed more than ready to weather the storm.” Officers respond to report of intoxicated pedestrian. He allegedly blew a .262 on the portable breathalyzer. Arrested for public intoxication.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to party noise complaint.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; speeding. Deputies release driver with warning.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; expired registration, suspended license. Consensual search.
- Greene County, Mo. — Deputies pursue eluding vehicle. GPS device attached to rear of fleeing vehicle. Deputies track vehicle to mobile home park. Foot search for suspects; one detained.
- Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to suspicious car in park after hours. Couple apparently making out in back seat.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to small fire in apartment parking lot. Group cooking fajitas. Asked to move cookout to grill area.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Wellness check requested by wife for man working late in car repair shop. All Okay.
- Okla. Highway Patrol — man asleep on sidewalk. End of episode.
Live PD,’ Season 3, Episode 67, June 1, 2019
- Lawrence, Ind. — Officers respond to alleged drug deal in progress. Encounter couple who are throwing out trash from car. Crystal meth found in purse. Male says that meth belongs to him. Arrested on outstanding warrant as well as meth. Female released with dog.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Deputies respond to woman trying to break in to her own car after she locked keys inside. No ID; deputies trying to verify identify and confirm that the car isn’t stolen. Women eventually entered car through taped back window. Abrams/Morris, Jr.: “There’s a good news-bad news situation about having tape as your back window: The bad news of course is that the tape is your back window. The good news is that if you lose your ability to get into the car, you can ‘de-tape’ it and get back in.”
- Greene County, Mo. — Traffic stop; no plates. K9 deployed. Male arrested on outstanding warrants; female released.
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; driver cited for no license and no seat belt. Passenger had phlegm issue.
- Williamson County, Tex. –Traffic stop; expired registration. Driver, age 50, tells deputy that she never had a license. Arrested on outstanding warrant.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers respond to residence on report of stolen jewelry.
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Trooper spotted a vehicle that seemed “not particularly roadworthy. No ID. Abrams: “I certainly hope he got a good deal on that if he literally just bought that at auction.”
- Salinas, Cal. — Traffic stop; classic car plates have no record on file. Morris, Jr: “It’s really, really a cherry ride.”
- Lawrence, Ind. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “A guy who seemed equally bad at following directions as he was at dating.” Subject detained; arrested on outstanding warrants.
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Trooper finds guy in dumpster whose truck had expired tag. Abrams: “Some odd trash talk going on there.”
- Crime of the Week, Hawthorne, Fla.: Morris: “A pursuit ended with a squeeze play.”
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers and FD respond to possible OD in Hotel. Narcan administered. Subject transported to hospital.
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies encountered pedestrian walking in the middle of the road. Crack pipe allegedly found on his person. Paraphernalia destroyed; released with no charges.
- Richland County, S.C. (pretaped segment): Traffic stop; improper turn. Deputies allegedly find gun in floorboard and a “big bag of weed” and other drugs in trunk. Driver arrested for possession. Abrams: “Deputies pulled over a driver who starred in a local YouTube series thought it turn out that his trunk probably had even more hits.”
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers and FD respond to report of unconscious woman who seemed to become noncompliant. Transported to hospital.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; expired registration. Driver says his license was stolen. Had warrants.
- Wanted segment, Corbin Ky.:
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Trooper spotted accident.
- Santa Fe, N.M. — Officers respond to stabbing incident. Search for suspect outside motel, interview witnesses, collect evidence from crime scene. Possible suspect detained as show ends.
- Richland County, S.C. — Deputies separately detain suspect after foot chase. Deputies locate suspect’s alleged park car. Abrams: “When you flee from your car and you leave everything in your care, they’re gonna find you.”
- Greene County, Mo. (pretaped segment) — Abrams: “A woman was forced to vacate a home but it was what happened to her pet that led deputies to stop her from leaving.” Alleged order of protection violation; deputies ask woman to leave premises but prevent her from putting dog in trunk as she drove off.
- Okla. Highway Patrol –Traffic stop; no rear lights or brake lights on motorcycle. Released with no charges.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; failure to yield to emergency vehicle and license plate light out. Lt. Kennedy patiently explains emergency vehicle protocol to driver.
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; equipment violations.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop. Deputy detects odor of marijuana. Drug paraphernalia found. Driver arrested; vehicle released to parents. Abrams: “The guy with the engineering degree who engineered a bong.” Morris, Jr.: “If you want to smoke weed in the state of Texas, you need to think twice.”
- Okla. Highway Patrol — Traffic stop; tag violation on pickup truck. Drug paraphernalia found in truck. Driver arrested for controlled dangerous substance.
- Greene County, Mo. (pretaped segment): Abrams: “A couple hanging out in their car with the windows fogged up, but no, it wasn’t that.” Car was parked close to a public trail for some period of time. Deputy Scharpf with probably the quote of the year. Deputy allegedly found eight grams of marijuana; car towed. Couple released; male received citation.
- Salinas, Cal. — Officer Muscutt engages in dialogue with citizen.
- East Providence, R.I. — Officers respond to report of two women fighting. One woman may be charged with domestic assault.
- Williamson County, Tex. — Traffic stop; busted tail light; license plate light out.
No mention as show concludes about whether Warwick is leaving Live PD. No mention of status of the Franklin County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office either.
thank you!!!! cant wait to read the Wednesday blog!!!