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

On Patrol Live returns after a two-week holiday hiatus.

The docuseries On Patrol: Live — i.e., Live PD 2.0 — premiered on the Reelz channel on July 22, 2022 and generally follows the same basic format as its A&E network predecessor in which show producers and videographers accompany cops on night patrol in real time.

About 50 On Patrol: Live cameras go into the field with the law enforcement officers usually from eight or nine different U.S. departments during the ride-along on Friday and Saturday evenings. For legal and other reasons, the show broadcasts live incidents reportedly on an approximately five-to-20 minute tape delay.

OPL does not always update what happened after airing the initial contact/ investigation in each incident; sometimes, however, it provides further information during the On Patrol: First Shift pre-show.

Pre-recorded segments are also typically included in show content.

An On Patrol: Live recap, including NYC studio host Dan Abrams’ puns, analysis, and banter with co-anchor Curtis Wilson (Richland County, S.C., deputy sheriff) and retired Tulsa, Okla., cop Sean “Sticks” Larkin, the original member of the trio, along with the often-snarky or playful social media reaction, follows.

Note: The Peacock and FreeCast streaming services carry the Reelz Channel, which is the home of OPL. In a article published on January 3, 2024, that was headlined “Once Again, in 2023, Many Cable Networks Had a Decline in Audience,” Forbes reported the following:

Not every entertainment cable network however, suffered declines in viewing. The Reelzchannel continues to increase its audience defying trends. In 2023 the cable network averaged 337,000 viewers, a year-over-year increase of 34%. In 2022 the average audience of the Reelzchannel had more than doubled (+107%) compared to 2021.

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.

On Patrol: Live Summary for January 5, 2023 (#OPL Episode 02-41)

  • Richland County, S.C. — Sgt. Kenny Fitzsimmons and other units respond to a disturbance at a dollar store involving an alleged “serial masturbator.” The subject ran out of the back of the store before cops arrived, prompting a foot search of the area. Sgt. Fitzsimmons implies that this is a recurring problem: “Same MO — walking around the store playing with themselves.” Abrams: They might want to “check out the self-checkout line.” Abrams also refers to the “long arm of the law.” In the search, deputies encounter a man, but he does not match the description of the suspect.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Dep. Hunter Rogers conducts a traffic stop and questions the occupants about having any contraband. They are subsequently released with no charges.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Mike Bryant and other units respond to a car crash and investigate the circumstances. Sgt. Bryant summary: “This gentleman says his foot got stuck in the gas pedal….hit this gate here…it’s lucky he got stuck here in the dirt, because right down this embankment is water…there are some critters in there. We know that for a fact…” Bryant indicates that the accident may have been due to negligence rather than impairment.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Sgt. Fitzsimmons and Cpl. Shannon Tolman among other units respond to an alleged domestic incident in progress. A male party, who had already been trespassed from the location earlier that evening, allegedly fled from the location. Foot search of wooded area with K9 Kiro. Cops also locate the suspect’s abandoned car. Fitzsimmons and another officer discusses the situation with the subject by cell phone and encourage him to turn himself . Fitzsimmons: “You got to do things the right way…You’re thinking with your heart, not your brain…it doesn’t mean you’re a bad guy…luckily we didn’t find you because the dog would have bit the crap out of you.” The sergeant explains that the man is only facing a “small misdemeanor” charge for trespass after notice and will likely be released in a few hours after processing in court. “You’ll be out of jail before we get off shift.”

Abrams: “So Curtis, this is your department there. They’re being straight with him, right?” Wilson: “They’re being totally straight with him. What’s happening is, okay, trespass after notice. Again, a misdemeanor. What’s gonna happen is they’ll arrest him, they’ll take him down, get him booked. They’ll go before for the bond court, the magistrate, and then gonna be released. Given a court date, and that’s it.”

Sgt. Fitzsimmons update: “He wanted to get his affairs in order before going to jail because he knows he screwed up. And he admitted to it. He wants to man up. So [in] the conversation, we got him to come back and basically turn himself in now and get it over with now. Just get this done so it’s not kind of hanging over his head. He said it might be a few minutes because he’s not sure where’s he’s at and trying to walk back…[we’ll] go back and sit by the guy’s car just where we said we’d meet him. We’re gonna go circulate to see if we just happen to see him walking.” Abrams: “I know there was a reference earlier to him being wet because he was out in the woods there as he was running. They let him know this is a misdemeanor charge, and he’ll probably be in and out of jail late tonight.”

  • Fullerton, Calif. (pre-recorded segment) — Officers respond to a fight between a male and female in a local park allegedly known for gang activity. They arrest the male for alleged domestic violence. Abrams: “This guy made himself a particularly unattractive suspect based on the way he was behaving. But if he was trying to stop her from driving drunk, does he get any kind of credit for that?” Dep. Wilson: “You would think so, but the problem here is the physical marks that’s on the victim. When that happens, in most departments, that’s an arrestable offense right there. So the district attorney or the solicitor’s office, they want you to arrest, you have to, if there’s marks.” Sgt. Larkin: “Even if without a cooperating victim, I don’t know of any agency where for domestic violence where there’s visible injuries to the face, a witness, the officer shows up, he’s on top of the girl, that the suspect is not gonna be an arrest for domestic violence. It’s there to make her, the victim, safe for that night.”
  • Indian River, County, Fla. — Sgt. Chris Lester conducts a traffic stop for allegedly running a red light. Sgt. Lester indicates that the stop will likely result just in a verbal warning.: “As you can see, she said she ran a yellow light, but I was actually staring at the light as it was red, and then she went through out of my peripheral vision, so it was completely red. She was actually going over the speed limit a little bit as well, but I didn’t have my radar or anything, so it’s just a stop for the red light. She’s very agitated by it. Most people are annoyed when they get pulled over by the police. We’re used to that, but she seems okay. Nothing seems to be wrong; she doesn’t seem to be under the influence of anything. Just in a rush to get home. I’m gonna verify her license, and then we’ll get her out of here.”
  • Berkeley County, S. C. — Dep. Rogers conducts a traffic stop on a truck for suspended plates for expired insurance.
  • Triple Play #1 — Edmond, Okla.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Lt. Richie Maher and other units respond to a report of disturbance, possibly a neighbor dispute involving someone banging on windows or doors, at an apartment complex and make contact with the complainant who is a dog owner. Lt. Maher: “Your dog sh*t all over the carpet. Glad it’s dog sh*t, not human sh*t this time.” Maher also mentions that “it wasn’t a disturbance; it was a trespasser.”

Abrams: “Here’s the thing. Yes, it’s part of the job — police officers do step in dog poop. Usually it’s outside. I’m just saying that’s got to be the part that was a little more unpredictable. Larkin: “I will say, over the course of a lengthy career, you do go into house at times, and it is baffling how many people don’t clean up after their animals inside a house. It happens more often than you would think.” Wilson: “It’s a crappy job sometimes.”

  • Lee County, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Dep. Mike Knapp and other units, plus paramedics, respond to a stabbing incident. Dep. Knapp: “We were initially dispatched for a stabbing call. While investigating the complaint there, a second male arrived with multiple stab wounds to his upper body and lower extremities. Both subjects were eventually taken to the hospital for their injuries from their altercations. At this point, we believe they’re connected. They’re being turned over to our violent crimes unit for further investigation.” Abrams: “No charges have been filed. The first person came in to speak with detectives, but couldn’t pick anyone out of a lineup. A tricky situation there.” Larkin: “…maybe one these guys has the other person’s blood or DNA on them that could later show up and obviously help connect the two of them.” Wilson: “A lot to dissect in that situation. Trying to figure out who the primary aggressor is tough as well because both of the fact that both of them had some wounds.”
  • Coweta County, Ga. — Dep. Myles Moran conducts a traffic stop for a lights infraction. Abrams also pays tribute to fallen Coweta County Deputy Eric Minix who died in the line of duty.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Sgt. Bryant and other officers respond to a domestic disturbance. Bryant has a long conversation with the male party about marital issues. He also playfully asks the man about the Christmas lights still being up.

Sgt. Bryant: “It appears as though there was some type of altercation between husband and wife…from what I’m hearing, we don’t have any charges on anybody. However, there’s a lot going on here. I don’t fully understand where both sides are coming from. I think there may be a miscommunication, something behind the scenes is going on here we haven’t figured out yet…she’s got a recording of some sort, and he’s being as honest with me as he can. We’re getting close to drilling down what we have here, but it’s definitely not a physical altercation. Likely, nobody will be going to jail tonight, but time will tell because somebody’s making up stories and somebody may not be.”

  • BOLO segment –– Fort Worth, Texas, vape-store villain.
  • Coweta County, Ga. — Dep. Shawn Searels conducts a traffic stop for speeding. Dep. Searels: “No reason for speeding at 95 in a 70 in the rain other than she’s going to a hotel because she’s tired.” The driver is released with a warning.
  • Fullerton, Calif. — Officers clear an apartment on a report of a possible burglary in progress. Cpl. Brandon Ramek: “No one was inside. I’m sure we’ll do an inventory on what items are missing for this resident over here to see exactly [what] happened. We don’t know if it was the roommate, it could have been his family, or maybe the person that was allowed to stay there at this time, but CSI will come and take photographs; we’ll document what’s missing.” Cops will conduct a follow-up investigation.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Cpl. Nelson and other units conduct a traffic stop for lights infraction. Cpl. Nelson: “…Changed his story after pulling him over. In talking to him, he said he was heading home, so why would he pull into McDonald’s prior to me even activating my blue lights or anything? A little bit of hanky panky; he kept going back and forth about me wanting to search him and all that stuff. So we’re gonna do a refusal. I’m gonna run my dog around the car, and we’ll go from there.” K9 Kai alerts, prompting a probable cause car search. During the stop, and unbeknownst to the officers on the scene, the motorist appears to allegedly remove something from his wallet and swallow it. Abrams: “It is pretty clear that he took something out of his wallet and put it in his mouth before the search of that wallet.” While mentioning the dog’s sophisticated sense of smell for contraband, Nelson explains that the search did not locate anything inside the vehicle “except pills…there was narcotics around or in that vehicle at some point in time.” The driver is released with a written warning. Abrams: “They got his information with that written warning.”
  • Toledo, Ohio –– Ofr. Mike Gee responds to a report of a seating dispute on a bus. The bus driver wants the subject off the bus as a result of an alleged argument. Ofr. Gee tries to make arrangements for the subject to take a later bus. “So this gentlemen over here, he was on the bus. A lady sitting in his seat. He asked the driver to…get this lady out of his seat. He was yelling and screaming, the driver said. So he let it go for a little while, and then now he just doesn’t want the passenger on the bus anymore. So we’re trying to get him a call for the other driver so he’s guaranteed to get the next bus out of here, so he’s not stuck in Toledo. So we’ll continue to see if we can get him on the next bus.”
  • Coweta County, Ga. — Deputy Myles Moran investigate a possible stolen vehicle incident in which a man claims his girlfriend stole his car. After interviewing the complainant, deputies go to the girlfriend’s home and ask her for the keys to the vehicle.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Traffic stop on a truck. Sgt. Bryant and an occupant have a playful discussion about the latter’s alternative use for Q-tips. K9 deployed. The occupants are subsequently released with no charges.
  • Triple Play #2 — Indian River County, Fla.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies pursue a speeding vehicle which turns into a foot pursuit after a foot bail when the fleeing car wrecks out and damages another vehicle. Cops allegedly recover a gun on the ground as well as a bag of weed in the car. The motorist is taken into custody. Cpl. Tolman tells the young man that that “the only reason I stopped you is that because you were in the lane to go straight and you turned left…and almost hit me…and caused all this.” Tolman update: “The vehicle is not stolen. He is going to jail for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful carry of that firearm, and failure to stop for blue lights. He said he ran because his mom was calling him. I’m gonna give him BS on that one. But at this point, he’s lucky he didn’t kill somebody…” The highway patrol to take over the accident investigation.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — In a high-speed chase, Dep. Rogers and Cpl. Nelson pursue a vehicle on the highway for erratic driving that was allegedly involved in a hit and run. Rogers, however, loses sight of the vehicle in the chase.
  • Indian River County, Fla. — Deputies including Sgt. Lester conduct a traffic stop at gunpoint on a fleeing vehicle. A police helicopter assisted in the pursuit. Sgt. Lester update: “As of right now, we don’t believe this was the original car that we were looking for. We believe there was a secondary, unrelated car that was driving right close up in the same area where we lost the other one. The initial deputy tried to light it up. It accelerated at a high rate of speed over. Started making some evasive maneuvers. The [unintelligible] that was coming down this road, which is the car that we saw coming at us, he then pulled into here with the other vehicle that was parked right next to it. So as of right now, we just have to slow down, take our time. We believe this is going to be a second reckless vehicle aside from the one that we were initially looking for. And we already know there was a gun found in the car in the middle of the road, so there’s a lot to decipher right now.” Abrams: “Still a little confusion on that scene, but it does seem that they got the vehicle they were looking for, and there’s a second vehicle there as well.”

On Patrol: Live Summary for January 6, 2024 (#OPL Episode 02-42)

CLICK HERE for the OPL 02-42 recap.

The A&E vs. OPL Lawsuit Is Moving Forward

The pending litigation may explain the new OPL set design and changes to the logo, music, and names of the recurring segments. That also may be why the clever incident captions have or had tapered off.