This Weekend’s On Patrol: Live Highlights, Commentary, and Social Media Activity

A recap of the December 21, 2024, On Patrol: Live episode (#OPL 03-44), anchored in the NYC studio by attorney and host Dan Abrams along with co-host Curtis Wilson and analyst Tom Rizzo, follows.

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As far as social media activity in this otherwise traffic-stop-heavy OPL episode is concerned, the so-called Karen in the library parking lot elicited a massive reaction among the viewership. Scroll below for details. The police-mule chase also was notable as was the bingo player.

Agency update: Per Abrams, a “big city” police department, plus is set to join OPL when the show resumes with new episodes on January 10, 2025. “Some old favorites” also will return, he added.

Note: Click here for the recap of #OPL episode 03-43, December 20, 2024.

On Patrol: Live Summary for December 21, 2024 (#OPL Episode 03-44)

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.
  • Knox County, Tenn. — Ofr. Dalton Swanger conducts a traffic stop. No license; the motorist says that he is unable to pass the test so far. Ofr. Swanger asks the driver to park the car and call a family member to pick him up.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Dep. Erik Von Nessen makes a friendly traffic stop for an alleged improper lane change. The car, which the driver says he bought from his mom, appears to have significant damage. Dep. Von Nessen: “It’s an interesting vehicle, but it still runs.” OPL host Abrams: “Let’s hope he got a good deal…you have to be pretty a skilled welder, I think, to able to piece that together.”

“It’s an interesting vehicle, but it still runs.”

Listen to Dep. Von Nessen’s incident summary:

  • Berkeley County, S.C. (pre-recorded segment) — Cpl. Rachel Salka and other units, plus paramedics, respond to a shots-fired call “in which the victim was also the assailant,” according to Abrams. The incident allegedly involves an accidental self-inflicted wound to the leg of a motorist. Cpl. Salka: “He’s gonna be transferred to the hospital for treatment. The vehicle and the firearms should be released to the owners.”
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofrs. Jordan Freimark and Cherokee Tabb back up another cop on a routine traffic stop. Ofr. Tabb summary: “We’re just backing up one of the traffic sergeants here. He’s just doing a traffic stop on this vehicle. The young lady inside is staying warm with her kid. Looks like they’re having maybe a get-together in the plaza behind us. And everyone’s kind of getting curious and coming out, so we’re just trying to keep them back so the sergeant can do his job safely without having to worry about anyone walking up behind him. We’ll let him issue a citation or warning, and once he’s finished, then we’ll get out of here.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Ofr. Tim Jackson conducts a traffic stop apparently for a window tint violation and likely gives the motorist a warning that it’s a driver’s responsibility for the car to be up to legal standards. The car is a rental. Abrams: “If he rented that from someone, he must be pretty upset with the people who rented him the car with all the illegally tinted windows, but it does sounds like he’s not gonna get [a ticket]. We shall see.”
  • BOLO update (St. John Parish, La., and new BOLO segment (Orange County, Fla.)
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Chris Maher provides backup on a traffic stop and possible DUI but then is re-dispatched to assist in the pursuit of a fleeing vehicle. Ofr. Jackson also participates in the pursuit.
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofr. Tyler Picking and other units respond to a weapons call, i.e., someone with a gun outside a home who is making threats. Cops make contact with the complainant(s). The subject had, however, already left the scene.

Ofr. Picking recap: “So it sounds like there’s some relationship drama over here. They know who the suspect is. He thought he had a gun. There’s no actual gun seen from the sounds of it. So now that we have a name and an address of where he lives, we’ll check the area and see if we can find him and make contact with him, and see if they’re gonna press charges for tonight for possible menacing.” Abrams: :=”Stories always evolve as we get more information.”

  • Monroe, La. — Ofr. Jonathon Daniel, along with other members of the HEAT squad, make a traffic stop on a driver who slowly backs into a space in a parking lot. The stop might have been prompted by an expired tag. When asked if there is anything illegal in the car, the motorist replies “not that I know of.” Drug paraphernalia and drugs allegedly found on the driver’s person and inside the vehicle.

Listen to Cpl. Kelsie Wilson provide details about what cops allegedly found initially:

Ofr. Jonathon Daniel update: “This car was parked over at a lady who I actually ran a search warrant on last year. She was having people come in and out of her apartment, different narcotics and things like that. And he just parked out there…and then we kind of saw him sitting around. He pulled out here real slow and pulled in like he was going to the bingo place. And he’s got a whole bunch of crack on him. He’s got different pipes, stuff like that. So we’re still trying to figure out exactly where it came from, if he bought it or whatnot.”

“He didn’t quite get to make it inside the bingo to win him some money. Tonight he will win a cell.”

Ofr. Serenity Smith quips that “He didn’t quite get to make it inside the bingo to win him some money. Tonight he will win a cell…I don’t know if Christmas will be the same without him.” Ofr. Daniel adds that the subject “was cooperative with us. He didn’t just tells us to go away or fight with us or anything like that. So trying to ease up a little bit of the consequences that are coming his way.”

  • Knox County, Tenn. — Ofr. Swanger and other cops investigate a report of a stabbing; bloods drops spotted on the ground at a gas station. Cops have a description of the suspect. After sharing additional information with each other, police subsequently search a wooded area for the suspect.

Ofr. Swanger interim summary: “At the moment, things seem kind of unclear. We don’t know if the victim on Clinton Highway is related to this. We don’t know who exactly it was, kind of what happened. So we’re gonna kind of wait and see what the victim on Clinton Highway says, and then go from there with what we’re gonna do.” Abrams: “So as they try to make sense of that trail of blood there, we’ll monitor it and come back.” Abrams: “So a typical police investigation. They talked to the victim. Now they’re trying to put the pieces together. It sounds like most of them are together. They got to find these people now.” OPL studio analyst Tom Rizzo: “Sure. And they’ll peel back the layers. They’ll take into account whose the one who actually called for assistance or is it actually somebody who set this thing up, right? Another one of these assaults where the people are known to each other.” OPL co-host Curtis Wilson: “Which means it possibly could be another triangle type of thing. A guy dating a girl. A guy who used to date the girl now sees these guys together. Next thing you know, a little incident takes place.” Ofr. Swanger intends to search a nearby homeless encampment for the suspect as cops’ “best lead.”

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Maher and Ofr. Jackson detain two bicyclists in connection with some kind of altercation allegedly involving a knife.

Triple Play #3 — a mule pursuit in Murray, Ky. Following the segment, Abrams asserts that “I’ve been reading up on the definition of a mule because I want to know why it’s a mule and not a horse.” Listen below to the studio banter which is, in part, a callback to the OPL episode where a meme was shared showing Abrams wearing chaps.

Abrams et al., audio:

  • Monroe, La. — The OPL cameras feature Ofr. Trey Goins on dancing at a charity event alongside other performers, which prompts Abrams to admit jokingly that “I thought he was breaking up a fight on stage. He’s part of a show…now I get it.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Dep. Van Nessen conducts a friendly traffic stop. The deputy spots some weed allegedly scattered near the gear shift. Car search. He and the driver banter about guessing the amount of additional weed allegedly found in the car. Abrams: “Are they gonna go by Price is Right rules here?” Van Nessen offers the driver an option of dumping out and stomping out the weed on the ground instead of getting a ticket. With that done, the driver is released. “The reason why I said keep the bag is because I don’t want you littering.” OPL captions: “Higher…or lower,” “Grass in the grass.” Abrams: “Come back in a couple years will be a beautiful plant.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Lt. Maher and other officers pursue a fleeing stolen car. The driver foot bails and is detained in a backyard shortly thereafter. “Are you crying or just cold?” The driver denies tossing a gun or drugs. Car search. Lt. Maher: “So he’s gonna get charged with grand theft auto, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, and whatever else we might find on him.” Lt. Maher praises the suspect: “You’re a very honest kid. I’ll have you know that. The way you spoke to us when I first got out with you, I respect that…”

“You’re a very honest kid…I respect that.”

  • Humboldt County, Calif. — Dep. Frankie Rojas makes a stop on a pickup truck that appears to be disabled on the side the road. The driver appeared to be sleeping before the deputy got his attention. Shortly thereafter, Dep. Rojas detains the driver because the latter’s name was supposedly mentioned in connection with a robbery. The driver insists that “I never stole anything in my life.” That statement is seems accurate in that Rojas subsequently uncuffs him, and he is no longer detained. Tow truck called.
  • Humboldt County, Calif. — In an incident that generated by far the most social media commentary from #OPNation during this episode, Sgt. Steele makes contact with a woman in a car who allegedly refused to leave a library parking lot when asked to do so by a security guard. The irate woman, who OPNation deems a Karen, tells Steele that she was sitting there in the car reading a book and that she was scared because of crackheads in the area. “For all I know, he’s one of the crackheads…as a single woman, that is very scary, especially when there’s crackheads around.” Sgt. Steele: “Can we start over? I think we’re having a bad interaction.” He also points out that the person who asked her to leave was a security guard rather than a crackhead, although she insists the guard never identified himself as such. The woman agrees to leave. Sgt Steele stands by on scene until the subject drives off: “I’m gonna step back out of the way so she doesn’t try to do anything stupid.” Abrams: “Oh Karen, we hardly knew you.” Sgt. Steele: “She was less than a fan of ours, but mission accomplished. She moved along, which is what the representative of the city wants, so we will allow her to go the to the public business until they choose not to let her be there.”

Listen to more of the interaction between the sergeant and the subject:

“I’m sitting here reading my book, not doing anything wrong, and you’re treating me like a common criminal when there’s crackheads around here..”.

  • Richland County, S.C. — In the agency’s only appearance during this episode, Richland Sgt. Bryce Hughes interacts with a couple and their cute dogs at a gas station and gives the pups some treats.
  • Knox County, Tenn. — While trying to find the owner(s) of a car or trailer that is blocking the road at an apartment complex, Ofr. Tyler Jauch makes contact with a resident (not the trailer owner) holding a large snake. OPL caption: “Python protective services.” Ofr. Jauch subsequently locates the owner at the scene who agrees to move the trailer.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Maher makes a traffic stop on two cars who were allegedly street racing and issues tickets for careless driving rather than a more serious infraction. Sgt. Mike Bryant is also on scene. Sgt. Maher: “Both of these drivers — we use our discretion on what level we want to take things. They were street racing, which they both admitted. Both are — one’s a young driver, one’s a veteran — decided to use some discretion. Just issued them a citation for careless instead of reckless, where they still get some sort of punishment, but they’re not gonna be ruining their record for the rest of their life or anything like that. So, I thought that was the most fair thing to do today, and they’re on their way.”
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofrs. Freimark, Tabb, and Picking, among others, pursue a vehicle that allegedly fled from a traffic. The high-speed chase is discontinued when the car leaves the Toledo jurisdiction (and another agency takes over the pursuit), but is resumed within the city and then terminated again for the same reason. The third time apparently was the charm as the pursuit is resumed inside Toledo boundaries and the driver is apprehended after a foot bail and a brief foot pursuit. OPL heavily bleeps the suspect’s discourse. While the pursuit was ongoing, Abrams asks Rizzo “how do you coordinate who does what and who goes where?” Rizzo: “Well, that’s why I’m personally a huge proponent of a two-man car. And what you can have there is the officer that’s driving can focus on doing that driving, while the secondary in the passenger seat will give alternate routes to kind of predict where that active car that’s fleeing is going. But the pursuing officer will be calling out the direction that they’re going, and these as the other responding units will be trying to, like I said, predict where they’re gonna encounter it to join in or to block it off.”

Commenting on Officer Picking discussing the termination of the pursuit the second time and prior to the suspect being taken into custody, Abrams observes that “very frustrating for the officer there. You can tell.” Rizzo: “They’re doing their best, and that’s two cracks at it But they have to be adaptable to city driving, pursuit driving, compared to then getting on the highway — population density, some pedestrians, vehicle traffic in compared in the city streets, compared to the highway. If we got a perfect world, we want it on the highway.” Wilson: “Talk about this being terminated plus it’s frustrating to the officer. But you have these supervisors who are monitoring, depending on the charges, will determine whether or not they’ll continue…” Abrams: “It seems there’s a jurisdictional issue.”

  • St. Lucie County, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Det. Ethan Kirk and other units conduct a traffic stop for allegedly rolling through stop signs. Abrams introduces the segment by saying “a woman…offered deputies a slight variation on the classic ‘those aren’t my pants’ defense.” Probable cause car search after some weed is allegedly spotted. Drugs allegedly found. The driver is released; the passenger is arrested.

Listen to Det. Kirk summarize what the investigation allegedly revealed and the drug-related charges:

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Maher, Ofr. Jackson, and a colleague initiate a traffic stop. No license. Weed allegedly in car.

Listen to an officer and then Abrams and Rizzo briefly comment on the incident:

  • Missing segment — Humble, Tex.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. –Sgt. Chris Maher and his brother Sgt. James Maher conduct a traffic stop. Car search. Drugs allegedly found. Listen to one of the Maher sergeant’s initial summary:

St. Lucie County, Fla. — Det. Kirk provides backup on an alleged fight in progress. As Det. Kirk arrives on scene, one man is already detained (“I just want to go home”). Extensive bleeping. After an investigation, Det. Kirk indicates the subject likely will be trespassed.

Det. Kirk recap: “As of right now, our air unit did have video of what looked like to be an active fight going on. However, with altitude and video footage from that, we can’t determine who was actually fighting. While speaking with the male, he stated that he hit himself in the face. Obviously, there’s video of it. However, we can’t differentiate between the suspect and victim in this case, just according to video footage from the air unit. So as of right now, they’re want him trespassed from the premises, so deputies are working on trespassing him. And then as long as no other charges or any probable cause is established for his arrest, he’ll be released from here.” Abrams: “Originally, that was a call about four people fighting. It turns out it was potentially just two, and this guy is basically saying it was just one.”

  • Knox County, Tenn. — Ofr. Swanger attempts a traffic stop for a tag light out and exclaims as he tracks the the subject vehicle that it “just threw a baggie out — sh*t”). The vehicle pulls over and the traffic stop commences.