This Weekend’s On Patrol: Live Highlights

Prior to the abrupt cancellation in June 2020 of the hit A&E reality show Live PD, this blog regularly posted a recap of each episode.

On Patrol: Live, i.e., Live PD 2.0, premiered on the Reelz channel in July 2022 and generally follows the same basic format as its predecessor in which videographers follow cops on night patrol in real time. About 50 On Patrol: Live cameras are in the field with the officers.

Dan Abrams has returned as host, along with studio analyst Sean Larkin, the now-retired Tulsa, Okla., cop. The other member of the original trio, Tom Morris, Jr., moved on to different projects in the interim. As a result, Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson from Richland County, S.C., has joined Abrams and Larkin on set to provide commentary.

This blog has subsequently gained access to Reelz (which currently is less widely available on cable, satellite, or streaming than A&E) and has restarted the weekly summaries.

As a side note, you can tell that On Patrol: Live still reaches a wide demographic because commercials range from hearing aids to birth control pills. When Abrams says “we have to get in a break here,” most of the commercials are in five-minute blocks, allowing viewers to hit the fridge or the bathroom.

Other observations: Judging from On Patrol: Live, facial hair is still very popular in America, and the obesity epidemic shows no sign of abating.

Disclaimer

The On Patrol: Live disclaimer appears above.

Moreover, as the the Live PD disclaimer appropriately indicated during its run, not all outcomes are known or final.

Criminal charges, if any, may have been reduced, dismissed, or never filed.

When alleged criminal activities are depicted on On Patrol: Live, all suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Further, please understand that the incidents aired on the show, and/or what is summarized below, including but not limited to any arrests, constitute mere allegations. 

Initial assessments or observations about the incidents made by the studio hosts or cops or On Patrol: Live — or anyone on Twitter or on another social media platform for that matter — may be incorrect, and no endorsement herein of that content is intended or implied.

On Patrol: Live Summary for January 13, 2023

  • Richland County, S.C. — Captain Brown and Deputy Smith interact with people loitering in a motel parking “where we have had criminal activity. Brown: “Smells like weed coming out of the car.” He tells driver “you’re not calm; you’re being counterproductive right now.” Probably cause search of vehicle; “green all over the seat.” Nothing substantial found, however; driver released. Both military veterans, driver and Brown achieve common ground after the initial contention. Older man on the scene continuously yells during the interaction. Abrams: “It’s seems pretty clear that they did nothing wrong. And now Danny Brown trying to kind of make up for lost time there — bonding with them.”
  • Spotsylvania County, VA. — Deputies provide backup in vehicle pursuit. Driver is taken into custody; situation under control.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Traffic stop; kids not in car seats. Driver operating vehicle with suspended license.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Cops assist K9 officer in detaining 15-year-old suspect who had fled on foot. Suspect arrested for alleged loitering and prowling. His friend calls in on cell phone in the midst of the arrest. Sgt. Michael Bryant: “They’re up to something. You know, they could be breaking in cars, they could be trying to meet up with girls for all we know, or could be trying to buy dope. We don’t know. But the point is, when you see law enforcement trying to stop you, and you take off running, we’re coming to get you. And if you’re going to be creeping around our city committing crimes, we’re not gonna let you get away with it. That’s the way it’s gonna be. That’s the way we run things in Daytona, and if they don’t know, they better ask somebody.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to report of armed robbery at Papa Johns. Suspect at large. It may be an incident where the suspect allegedly threw food at an employee over a disagreement rather than a robbery. Possible evidence such as DNA on pizza box. Capt. Brown: “He did pull a gun on one the workers and took off…good description of car, good description of him, and we’ve already got units canvassing the area as well…” Brown added that “he ordered that pizza and wings on DoorDash. And they have the receipt and all that from the DoorDash. After this thing went on in here, and when he pulled the pistol on the employees and took off, he threw the pizza and wings at them that he ordered at them on DoorDash. So not too smart; they’re gonna be able to figure out who he is fairly quick, I would assume…you’re risking some felony-level charges, pretty serious ones, over a DoorDash order, which isn’t very smart, isn’t very smart at all.” Abrams: “There’s something about looking at a fresh pizza that just makes you hungry. When the show’s over…every Friday…”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Deputies respond to noise complaint during birthday party at residence. Abrams: “Always a good idea to invite the neighbors” when you have throw a party.
  • Beech Grove, Ind. — Traffic stop; speeding. Officer: “Smells like weed in here.” Car search. The “candy man” driver allegedly has just a learner’s permit rather than a valid license. No insurance. Driver, who apparently had been pulled over several times before for speeding, ordered to park car and wait for ride home. Let go with warning for small amount of weed. Officer Keisler advises driver to “get your sh*t together and stop speeding.”
  • Nye County, Nev. (pre-taped segment) — Deputies respond to burglary. Homeowner allegedly shot armed suspect. Deputies force entry into residence. Suspect transported to hospital. Abrams: “The shooting has been deemed a lawful defense of his home.” Larkin: “When those type of calls come in, and the dispatcher or the call taker can just tell talking to the caller, you know, ‘I’ve shot an intruder, this is where I’m at ,’ they’re cooperating with law enforcement. That thing gets passed on to the responding deputies. When they show up, they’re trying to coordinate with their dispatcher, the individuals inside, the best way they can get in the house, and get the suspect in custody, and make sure the homeowner is okay. Wilson: “And not only that, but you get there, you arrive on the scene. You see that everything fits. You see the chair; you see the broken window. So it corroborates what this guy is saying. This was a robbery in progress.”
  • Spotsylvania County, Va. — Deputies respond to report of domestic assault at apartment complex. False alarm. No females in apartment. Abrams: “Maybe they’re watching something; who knows.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to motel on a domestic incident. Estranged husband allegedly stalking wife. Brown: “She just wanted to be safe and go to where she’s staying tonight…they’re separated; no injuries…we’re good.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to report of suspicious person running away from store at strip mall. Large glass window vandalized. Store appears to be a doggy daycare. Deputy Smith enters through broken window in storefront and searches premises, obtains possible fingerprint; follow-up investigation at crime scene may obtain DNA sample. Cash box reportedly missing. Owners were alerted to the break-in by a friend who was watching On Patrol: Live.
  • Wanted segment — Houston. Attempted carjacking of Uber driver.
  • Nye County, Nev. (pre-taped segment) — Deputies respond to report of someone allegedly brandishing weapon at trailer park in a somewhat confusing situation. Two men charged in connection with the incident. Wilson: “Everybody’s got a story, but you got to figure this thing out.” Abrams: “Ultimately, [it] will get worked out in court.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Officers assist with apprehension of wanted suspects in car who other cops had boxed in. Suspects in custody.
  • Spotsylvania County, Va. — Deputies interact with customer at pizza parlor on an alleged reckless driving report. Deputy: “I can smell alcohol coming off you.” Shoeless driver says he had four shots. Refuses field sobriety testing and complains that he is cold. Arrested on suspicion of DUI. Larkin joked that “you make a call down to the jail there where you’re gonna do the test — ‘hey, is the heat on, you know, we got the fireplace on this guy, some slippers, a robe.’ He’ll take the test then.”
  • Spotsylvania County, Va. (pre-taped segment) — Deputies respond to car accident. Abrams: “Driver admitted to having one drink; he didn’t say how big the drink was.” Driver says he was come from “homie’s crib.” Field sobriety testing.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies assist K9 and drone units on a report of subjects allegedly escaping from juvenile detention facility.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. (pre-taped segment) — Traffic stop on biker who was returning from strip club. Bystander: “He is drunker than Cooter Brown.” Field sobriety test; arrested on suspicion of DU. Larkin: “There was a lot of debate whether Oklahoma is Midwest or southern or whatever it is. I can tell you, ‘drunker than Cooter Brown’ has been said many times in the Oklahoma parts. Wilson: “Cooter Brown was a guy who lived along the Mason-Dixon Line, didn’t want to be a part of the Civil War, so he stayed intoxicated. Matter of fact, he stayed drunk all the time.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Officers respond to disabled RV in middle of the road. Vehicle ran out of gas; wrecker called.
  • Nye County, Nev. — Deputies respond to report of kids doing ‘donuts’ in parking lot. Graphic: “Searching for doughnut maker.” Kids tell deputy that convenience store owner gave them permission. Owner, however, tells deputy he wants them to leave. The group agrees to leave the premises (“we’ll bounce); Deputy Murphy gives the group an alternative location. Abrams: “Shocking that no one wants them in their parking lot doing wheelies and donuts. Really stunning.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Deputy assists motorist with windshield wiper issue.
  • Crime of the Night –– High speed chase of stolen pizza delivery car in Benton County, Ark.
  • Beech Grove, Ind. — Traffic stop; speeding on car with three kids in the back seat. Driver says he had just one beer. Breathalyzer test allegedly indicates over the legal limit. Arrested on suspicion of DUI. Someone is called to the scene to pick up the kids.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to report of shots fired, which apparently may be a false alarm but cops will canvas the immediate area to make sure. Drunk guy spotted at the scene. Capt. Brown: “Probably heard some gunshots, and thought he got shot because he’s on the ground. But he’s just intoxicated, so they getting him into the house back there…it could be just these two callers assuming stuff.” Abrams: “Well, they’re still shots maybe — just not shots fired.”
  • Nye County, Nev. — Traffic stop; speeding. Deputy Murphy: “At 105 mph, it’s a little aggressive” especially in a 45-mph zone.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Deputies spot suspicious vehicle behind building. Driver says she is just dumpster diving. Deputy: “Do you mind showing me? We get a lot of people stealing stuff.”
  • Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — Cops respond to report of man who with assaulted with mace. EMTs summoned to scene.

On Patrol: Live Summary for January 14, 2023

  • Beech Grove, Ind. — Officers respond to apartment complex after neighbors call in to report a toddler allegedly waving a firearm in hallway. Cops gather information from downstairs witnesses and discuss the situation with the dad in the apartment in question. Initial investigation is inclusive until another neighbor shows cops doorbell video of the incident via her cellphone. Cops return to the apartment, and with permission of dad, search the location. Gun found in desktop drawer. Dad arrested. Child is with mom.

Officer on the scene: “It’s taken a little bit of time for us to kind of figure out the right path, how to handle this. I called our on-call detective, called the on-call prosecutor for Marion County, who — after their conversation — decided that the best course of action tonight was to arrest the male for neglect of a dependent who was in charge of the child who was outside.

In conversation with the grandmother, he added that “based on what has happened, the Marion County prosecutor’s office has decided that they would like him to go to jail tonight. So we are going to arrest him…based on what happened tonight, the child was in harm’s way…luckily, the firearm was loaded, but there wasn’t a round in the chamber, because your grandson was pulling the trigger. And he’s a big kid, so I would imagine that if there was a round in there, he would have enough strength to pull that trigger, and it would have went off. I don’t know how many rounds are in there, 17 if it’s a nine-millimeter probably, it would have went off 17 times…It’s unfortunate, but that’s what we have the legal process for.”

Abrams: Charge is a felony in the state of Indiana. Additional charges are possible.

Added: Watch NewsNation reports on this incident that includes commentary from Dan Abrams:

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. –Cops respond to shots fired report. Man on ground. His mom on the scene. Officers interviewing witnesses. Possible drive-by after car accident. A neighbor might have security video.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to domestic incident between man and mother in law. Son-in-law wants her to leave the premises. Dispute seems to involve, at least in part, an argument over cooking three eggs. The parties differ over what occurred. Deputy Smith tries to mediate. Abrams: “The price of eggs is way up, but that wouldn’t explain what happened here.”

  • Volusia County, Fla. — Traffic stop; broken tail light. Driver says she is looking for a friend and was unaware of the equipment malfunction. Released with warning.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Bryant assists on a “traffic stop [that] turned into a felony stop.” Car had fled. Driver and passengers detained. Vehicle search.
  • Spotsylvania County, Va. — Deputy tracks alleged hit-and-run driver to fast food restaurant after the latter was spotted by off-duty cop. Truck parked nearby has serious front-end damager. Driver denies he was behind the wheel. Field sobriety testing. Driver arrested for felony hit and run. Sgt. Ray Pittman about the suspect’s car: “As you can see, that’s the entire front, right wheel is completely tore off. So I have no idea how in the world he would have made it. You can see the skid marks leading all the way from the edge of the parking lot all the way around until it finally comes to rest here. And we were lucky this one didn’t turn out any worse than what it was. He’ll lend up going to jail tonight, for sure.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to domestic incident. Vocal man wants lady friend to exit the residence. Deputy Salmond: “Deputies over here are gonna give this young lady a ride out of here. She’s agreeing to leave this gentleman’s house, I guess. They had a little arrangement set up a little earlier. It didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to, so he’s going to kick her out, and she’s cool with that. So she’s gonna leave for the night. He says he’s going to go back in the house and go to sleep, maybe watch some football…sorry his night didn’t go the way he originally wanted it to, but he got his wish, she’s leaving, we’re leaving, so great ending to this one.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Fleeing vehicle pursuit turns into a foot pursuit at apartment complex.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Shots fired report turned out to be fireworks, but Deputy Smith heads to another shots fired call at apartment complex. Subjects fleeing on foot. Separate traffic stop of car with broken windows that may or may not be connected to the incident. Driver and passenger subsequently released. Deputy Smith: “I don’t know what’s going on. It kind of sounds like they had some beef with some people, and the windows were busted after leaving a party in the complex. Still don’t know if it’s related to our original incident or not, but they’re cleared…they’re on their way now.”
  • Beech Grove, Ind. — Cops respond to report of suspicious vehicle parked in residential area. Couple inside. Officer: “You might want to put your pants on.” According to cops, both are intoxicated. They agree to walk home, which is not far, and relative will come back for car. Sgt. Shipley: “Subjects [were] sitting in a vehicle on private property. They weren’t driving, and how they got here, or when they consumed alcohol, we don’t know. Apparently, it’s been long enough that these people in the area noticed that it didn’t belong.” Abrams: “Well, seems that was a maybe an inopportune moment.” Larkin: “They’re both very lucky nobody had to go downtown.” Abrams: “Everyone got lucky…a leg up.”
  • Nye County, Nev. — Deputies respond to shots fired call; possible drive by of some sort. Reporting party says a woman was behind the wheel. Deputies subsequently interact with a man at trailer park who says his car was stolen. Investigation ongoing.
  • Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — Traffic stop on pickup truck with dragging back bumper.
  • Crime of the Night, Marion County, Fla. — High-speed pursuit followed by foot chase. Suspect detained after an 11-hour standoff and faces multiple charges.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Deputies pursue alleged reckless-driving motorist fleeing from traffic stop. Suspect found hiding in boat after foot pursuit and taken into custody. Deputy Fowler: “The good guys win this time, the bad guys lose this time.”
  • Missing segment — Tucson, Ariz., siblings.
https://twitter.com/OfficialOPLive/status/1614491294625320961
  • Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop, two license plates. A bottle of booze allegedly found during car search.

In the closing, Abrams describes the Saturday night On Patrol: Live episode as “an intense and, at times, light-hearted show.”

Parenthetically, A&E and the production company for On Patrol: Live, along with the Reelz channel, have lawyered up.