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

A recap of the July 20, 2024, On Patrol: Live episode (OPL #03-04), anchored in the NYC studio by host and attorney Dan Abrams, co-host Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson, along with this weekend’s guest analyst, Captain Tom Rizzo, appears below.

Note: Click here for the OPL #03-03, July 19, 2024, recap.

On Patrol: Live Summary for July 20, 2024 (#OPL Episode 03-04)

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.
On Patrol Live statistics 07_20_24
  • Brookford, N.C. (prior to air) — Chief Will Armstrong provides backup for Ofr. Vilma Rivas on a traffic stop with very argumentative occupants in heavy rain. Bleeping. OPL co-host Dep. Curtis Wilson: “Got to de-escalate it. You have a mom who’s upset because of the fact that the officer is pulling them over, and she wants to change the baby because the baby’s crying, so you got a lot of frustration going on. Got to be able to de-escalate so that you can get get the folks to understand this is why it’s important not to jump out of the car; this is important why the baby should still be in that seat. All of these different things play a role.”

OPL guest analyst Cpt. Tom Rizzo: “If anybody was ever wondering why people are separated, and why we separate parties, that type of energy, whether positive or negative, excited or relaxed, will feed off of each other. That is exactly why, case in point, we try to separate parties on a scene like that where emotions are elevated.”

Ofr. Rivas summary: “I observed that Mercury, right behind us, swerving in and out of the center line. Once I ran the tag, I observed that the driver had a suspended driver’s license. Once I approached the vehicle, I noticed multiple kids not in child restraints. And then the backseat passenger starts to exit the vehicle with the four-month-old infant and starts yelling at me. And then the passenger starts to get out. I advised both of them to get back in the vehicle. They both were not listening to me. This is where it all escalated into where we’re at now. Risking the lives of all these little kids over a minor traffic stop. And the dad’s intoxicated, so there’s that.” OPL host Dan Abrams update: “All three adults in that car were arrested now. And it turns out there was more than one child in the car as well. So what happened to the kids? Grandma came to pick them up, safely take them home.”

  • Fontana, Calif. (pre-recorded segment) — Ofr. Joe Richard initiates a traffic stop on a slow roller. Ofr. Richard: “He didn’t want to stop just because he didn’t have a license. Obviously, a dumb reason not to stop. You have to abide by the rules of the road. If you see a police vehicle trying to stop you, you have to stop. Try to get here, try to get home, thinking everything’s gonna be good, if you got home –obviously that’s not the case…he has two active warrants within our county for driving without a license. So, he’s gonna be going to jail right now. And then our partner’s gonna stay with the car and wait for the tow. And then the car’s gonna be get impounded for him driving without a license as well.” Abrams: “And that’s part of what makes this so interesting is that he had those two warrants previously. So, the idea that he doesn’t know you have to pull over, even when you don’t have a license, right? It’s like, it was sort of the defense, ‘ well, you know, I don’t know, I don’t have a license, I don’t know what you’re supposed to do.’ Except that I’ve been pulled over twice before..” Dep. Wilson then comments on the so-called home base theory: “They’ll be thinking that once they get to the house, the car’s gonna be safe, it’ll be there. Not always.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Master Dep. Avery Arrington conducts a traffic stop on a motorcyclist that appears to have no tag. The cooperative subject explains that the tag fell off previously, and it appears that he had slid in under seat to secure it as a temporary expedient. The deputy verifies that the subject’s license and insurance are good, and he is released with a warning to slow down.
  • Hazen, Ark. — Chief Bradley Taylor provides backup on a traffic stop with Ofr. Dillon Cook. The subject allegedly may have initially given a false name and apparently has warrants. Chief Taylor: “That ain’t you…you didn’t know I would roll up.” Dep. Wilson “He knows everybody.”

“That ain’t you…”

  • Richland County, S.C. — Cpl. Ethyn Perkins provides backup on a traffic stop for failure to maintain lane. The man is detained as he seemingly tries to walk away. “Y’all doing this for TV?”
  • Everett, Wash. — Sgt. Nate Wallace and other units respond to a report of shots fired at an apartment complex. Some blood spotted on a door. Cops enter and clear an apartment unit while looking for a suspect. Sgt. Wallace subsequently subsequently makes contact with a bridge worker who directs him to a gun on the ground there. When Sgt. Wallace asks the worker how his day is going, the work replies “it’s the start of my day and I’m finding a firearms laying on my bridge.” Investigation ongoing.

Rizzo explains that the scenario at the apartment provides a “recognized exception” to the initial need for a warrant. “You have reports of a shooting, you have blood present — clear evidence that it did, in fact, happen. They’ll go in; they’ll clear that to make sure there’s no victims. They’re not looking for evidence of a crime. You see that there. Then we pull out, then we secure it, then we go ahead and get a warrant.”

  • Triple Play #3 — A Chester County, S.C., pursuit after a vehicle flees from a traffic stop “that took a wild turn.”
  • Frederick, Md. — Ofr. Garrett Hall initiates a traffic stop for erratic driving. The car appears to start rolling away before stopping again. Ofr. Hall: “Put it in park.” Possible language barrier. Abrams update: “The driver was cited for driving without a license, and he then walked home.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — In what was staged as a traffic stop turns out to be Dep. Arrington proposing marriage to his girlfriend after which he goes back to work on his shift. OPL caption: “She said ‘yes’!” Dep. Arrington: “That was nerve wracking…I never get this nervous…I’m drawing down on somebody, tasing people — I don’t get this nervous. I’m chasing people through the damn woods all the time. Don’t get nervous. This sh*t was like, my heart was racing the entire time.”

“That was nerve wracking…my heart was racing the entire time.”

  • Everett, Wash. (pre-recorded segment) — Ofr. Derek Setter and Sgt. Kirby Duncan respond to a report of a fight at a RV park and conduct an investigation. A man on scene: “I got hit with a f—ing broom by a f—ing crackhead.” Bleeping. Sgt. Duncan summary: “So essentially, it sounds like a kind of a mutual combat situation where they all kind of started to fight together. I think the primary victim in this case is the one who doesn’t want to press charges. Now that we’ve had a chance to speak to some more independent witnesses, it’s not entirely clear who started the fight and who the real victim is, and everyone had different stories.” Ofr. Setter adds that “Our victim doesn’t want to be a victim, and we don’t have enough to take him to jail, so he gets to go home.” Abrams: “So no charges there.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Ofr. Robert Mowery detains a man in a park in closed park in violation of park rules who allegedly has a warrant. The man is forthcoming about drug and paraphernalia that allegedly has, and the officer thanks him for his honesty. “Obviously safety comes first, and I don’t need anybody here exposed to that sh*t.” OPL caption: “Fentanyl found.”

Listen to Ofr. Mowery’s summary and interaction with the subject:

  • Fontana, Calif. — Ofr. Michael Bernath and other units respond to a report of an alleged intruder in the house. OPL caption: “Report of prowler.” Cops clear the house, including a crawlspace, but nobody is there.” Ofr. Bernath: “They might have slipped out the back or something before we got here, but it definitely looks like somebody was in here at some point.”

Ofr. Bernath update: “Sounds like they reviewed cameras from their home camera system, and they saw the homeowner’s daughter was here. She’s not supposed to be here at the property. They don’t want her here, but she must know that they’re out of town or something, so she came, entered the house, sounds like possibly, and she was the one that was going through all the food and everything in the house. So possibly, we haven’t confirmed yet, but they’re working on that right now.”

  • Richland County, S.C. — Dep. Arrington provides backup on another traffic stop The car purportedly smells like weed. Car search. Gun allegedly found. Several occupants, one of whom tells the OPL camera, “They tried to take Trump out — that’s crazy.” According to Deputy Arrington, the occupants are likely to be released with no charges once cops verify ownership of the weapon.

Listen to Dep. Arrington’s summary for an explanation:

  • Toledo, Ohio –– Ofrs. Lindsey Erhart and Brooke Janowiecki, along with other units, respond to a report of an injury accident in the downtown area. Ofr. Janowiecki sound like she’s not a fan of one-way streets. OPL caption: “Wedding crasher?” The vehicle occupants appear okay, however, but one car appears heavily damaged. Abrams: “Yikes.” Abrams also notes that “maybe tempers flaring there.”
  • Everett, Wash. — Sgt. Wallace and Ofr. Josh Gottas make a well-being check on two teens sitting on the ground. It turns out they are just doing makeup. “What’s up with the Rambo knife?” They seem to imply that the weapon is for self-defense from tweakers. Cops advise them that they are trespassing and also warn them they could be putting themselves in a dangerous situation at that location.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Dep. Arrington and other units respond to a fight in progress by a large crowd or “a mob” outside of an apartment complex. The situation seems to have calmed down with the presence of the deputies.
  • Indian River County, Fla. — Cpl. James Ooley conducts a traffic stop on a slow-rolling pick-up truck for no headlights or tail lights. The motorist says she is coming from Bingo. The driver is released with a warning.
  • Fontana, Calif. — Ofr. Dominique Anesetti initiates a traffic stop for expired registration. The driver says he has no license “on me.” According to the officer, the the driver’s license allegedly is also expired. He and the female passenger (who has a license) switch places and are released.
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofrs. Erhart and Janowiecki respond to a weapons call at an apartment complex. The make contact with a mom at an apartment unit who says everything is okay. Ofr. Janowiecki: “It sounds like we might have a case of somebody calling in prank calls of weapons calls, or somebody with a gun. The female here has no idea. Our dispatch did a call back, and the address is pinging somewhere else in town. So I’m not sure if it’s an actual somebody needing help or if it’s just a prank.”
  • Fontana, Calif. (pre-recorded segment) — Abrams introduces the segment by remarking that “Ofr. Samuel Saenz attempted to locate a guy leaving a trail of smashed windows, and apparently he was ‘smashed’ too.” The subject is detained and denies any involvement in the incident. Cops allegedly find a crack pipe and a pepper-spray gun in the man’s backpack. Ofr. Saenz claims that he detects signs of meth use.

Ofr. Saenz summary: “He is a parolee, which means he’s a convicted felon. When he signed his conviction, he agreed to — you cannot have firearms, as well as pepper spray…Unfortunately, the witness, they weren’t willing to come down here and identify hm. Although we can’t book him on the felony vandalism right now we have numerous other felonies, such as a parolee convicted felon possession of pepper spray, and being under the influence. of a controlled substance. So, we’re gonna go ahead and take him to the station, because he’s probably gonna continue to cause a problem tonight, and we’re gonna go ahead and call his parole officer to get a violation.”

  • Everett, Wash. — Sgt. Wallace makes contact with a man on traffic stop. Subject: “What are you talking about?…I’m not doing nothing.” The subject claims he is locked out of the car. Apparently he may or will be issued a ticket for no valid license. No further OPL update during the show.
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofrs. Bomia and Freimark, along with many other units, converge on a residence for what started out as a weapons call at a duplex where purportedly one shot was fired to a possible hostage situation A broken car window is also allegedly involved. The cops enter the second floor of the residence and take a man into custody. The investigation is ongoing.

Ofr. Erhart update: “Right now, we have crews inside the duplex where the suspect is. We’re just waiting for the okay that they have the male in custody. So right now, it’s just a waiting game, but they are inside, so we’re just waiting. Okay, we just got the okay; they have him in custody, so we’ll wrap this up. I’m not sure of everything that he’s going to be charged with right now, but when I get that information, I can let you know, but they should be bringing him downstairs here.”

Ofr. Erhart further update: “Right now, we still have very limited information. We don’t know if the male is going to be charged or what he’s going to be charged with. The victim is saying that nothing happened, and she does not know how or why the window was knocked out of her vehicle or her mom’s vehicle. So we did find out that the vehicle is her mom’s vehicle. But she’s saying that nothing happened, and they were not arguing, they were not fighting. So we’re still trying to figure out what actually happened, and we still have crews talking to the male half up inside the house. So that’s about all we have right now.”

  • Indian River County, Fla. — Det. Christian Castano makes a well-being check on a couple sitting on the sidewalk which turns out to be the second OPL marriage proposal of the evening. Det. Castano: “I’m glad that’s what it was; I didn’t know what was going on…I don’t want to interrupt your honeymoon phase.” Abrams: “C’mon; this is a police show. We’ve had two proposals on this show…unbelievable…it’s really nice to see. I don’t know what else to say…” Wilson: “Arrington has inspired love on this show.”

“C’mon; this is a police show. We’ve had two proposals on this show…unbelievable…”

Det. Castano: “We just interrupted a proposal. I guess they’ve known each other for a couple of months. They’re booth homeless, and I guess buddy was ready to settle down. Thankfully, she said yes, and we won’t interrupt any further.”

  • Missing segment — Greensboro, N.C.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies respond to a fight in progress in a parking lot. No one on scene apparently wants to press charges, but the incident will be documented. Standing outside an IHOP, Cpl. Perkins (ironically) explains that store security footage is inconclusive. “Particularly from the camera that they have in there, you can see shapes of one person that’s on the ground and one person that’s standing over them. That’s pretty much all you can get because, again, it was, like, pretty small…
  • Fontana, Calif. — Ofr. Anesetti is on scene at a supermarket. OPL caption: “Report of shoplifting.” She advises a man there that he has to leave the store, and that he can’t return. The subject compliantly exits the premises.
  • Everett, Wash. — As the episode concludes, officers conduct a traffic stop on a possible wrong-way vehicle.