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

A recap of the July 27, 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.

The highlight was a major bust in Daytona, and perhaps the lowlight was a seemingly pointless chase of motorcyclists in Fontana.

Note: Click here for the #OPL 03-05, July 26, 2024, recap.

On Patrol: Live Summary for July 27, 2024 (#OPL Episode 03-06)

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.
  • Toledo, Ohio (prior to air) — Ofrs. Brooke Janowiecki, Joe Bomia, and other units, and paramedics respond to an alleged drive-by shooting outside a high school. Two males appear wounded and are in stable condition. Ofr. Janowiecki: “Somebody in a black pick-up truck drove by and started shooting. So I’m not sure what happened before or if they were arguing with somebody. They’re not really saying much. There are crews out currently looking. Somebody keeps calling in saying that they saw the suspect vehicle in a local area. So there are crews out looking for the suspect right now.”
  • Hazen, Ark. — Chief Bradley Taylor and Sgt. Clayton DiIlion initiate a traffic stop on the highway for dark window tint on the car that is nearly windowless. OPL host Dan Abrams: “Not sure if tinted windows work on that type of vehicle.” The driver informs the chief that he just got out of jail three days ago. Taylor: “He just got out of jail for aggravated robbery; he said that’s some bullsh*t my girl got me into.” Abrams: “That is the definition of rag top; no doubt about that one. And at least he got it incorporated in the price of the car, right? He bought it that way. So you just got to count on the fact that it was at a significant discount. OPL guest analyst Cpt. Tom Rizzo: “Including three windows.”

“He just got out of jail for aggravated robbery; he said that’s some bullsh*t my girl got me into.”

  • Everett, Wash. — Ofr. Josh Gottas and other units detain a man outside a residence in connection with an alleged stolen U-Haul truck. The subject denies any involvement. Ofr. Gottas summary: “So right now, we have him detained in the back of the car. He’s likely gonna be under arrested for possession of a stolen motor vehicle. He’s got a screwdriver that we pulled out of his pocket. The ignition is very damaged on that U-Haul. The people that are inside are saying that he drove here and that he brought this here, and they were gonna load up the U-Haul and leave. So we’ll make sure to talk to all of our witnesses and figure out from there.”
  • Fontana, Calif. — Ofr. Jon Gearhart responds to possible trespassing call; a male is asleep outside the front door of a residence. The man is detained. “You got piano fingers going on, dude. You can’t hold still. It’s like you’re playing an invisible piano.” Possible domestic issue. Ofr. Gearhart: “So we contacted this individual on the porch. It was mom’s home. He’s the subject of a restraining order with her as the protected person. They’re kind of being uncooperative right now. They’re unsure if they want him arrested or not. So my partner’s inside talking to them to see what they want us to do with [the subject]. And than we’ll talk to [the subject] and see what his plan is for the rest of the day.”

“…It’s like you’re playing an invisible piano…”

  • Frederick Md. — Ofr. Kevin Long races to a scene allegedly involving screaming and a “discharge” of some kind. It turns out to probably just be fireworks, but Ofr. Long intends to check the area just in case.
  • Brookford, N.C. — Chief Will Armstrong backs up Det. Jake Brantley on a traffic stop. Roach spotted. Car search. An adult toy allegedly spotted. Det. Brantley asks one of the occupants to stomp the roach and chides her for littering when she also dumps her ashtray. A licensed driver needs to come to the scene to drive the car home.
  • Toledo, Ohio — Ofr. Janowiecki responds to a report of a disturbance at a residence which appears to be domestic in nature. Bleeping. Ofr. Janowiecki recap: “It sounds like a family altercation, because everyone’s been drinking. Turned into a fight. They’re both claiming that they both assaulted each other. They’re both claiming no injuries so it’s kind of hard to tell who started the fight, so I’m not gonna file any charges tonight. I’m gonna leave that up to them filing charges with the prosecutor.” Amidst the male subject’s interruptions, she explains that “You guys are drunk…I’m gonna do a report…I’m gonna put your side of the story. I’m gonna put her side of the story. If you want to go file charges…you can go talk to the prosecutor on Monday morning….are you gonna be able to walk across the street?…” Abrams: “He will have that opportunity if he decides to move forward once he sobers up.” Rizzo: “She said it like six times.”
  • Triple Play #3 — Atlanta, Ga., pursuit of an ambulance “hijacked” by a patient.

Abrams: “As we were watching that, I kept thinking, imagine if you were one of the cars on the side of the road and you see the police PITing an ambulance. You’re like, ‘what’s going on here? Have the police lost their minds?’

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Noah Galbreath initiates a traffic stop for allegedly running a stop sign. After checking that her license is valid, the driver is released with a warning. Det. Galbreath is apparently acquainted with her son. “Your name sounds super familiar. I think we arrested him.”
  • Fontana, Calif. (pre-recorded segment) — Ofr. Gearhart and other units pursue a vehicle after an attempted traffic stop. The driver is subsequently pulled over. “You’re incredibly intoxicated, ma’am.” Ofr. Gearhart recap: “She was visiting a friend here in Fontana, where apparently she had some drinks, maybe quite a few too many. She was trying to make her way all the way back to east Los Angeles, which is about 40 miles west of here. So that would be quite a drive, and I would be very surprised if she made it there without crashing into somebody and maybe hurting a family or something. So we’re very happy to get her off the road tonight. She’ll be going to jail for DUI, and we’ll be towing her car probably.” Abrams: “The driver submitted to a blood draw, and the results are pending.”

“You’re incredibly intoxicated, ma’am.”

Listen to Cpt. Rizzo’s explanation about keeping the K9 as a secondary resource as referenced above:

  • Frederick, Md. — In a traffic stop, Ofr. Irvin Solano makes contact with a driver who was allegedly sitting at a green light for two cycles. The driver says he was texting, and will probably be released with a warning.
  • Everett, Wash. — Based on a call from a third party, Ofr. Michael Phillips and other colleagues respond to a purported domestic incident. A husband allegedly won’t let the wife leave the house or even go to the bathroom. “We have a history at this location.” Cops separately make contact with the wife and the husband. Abrams: “So we don’t even know if a crime was committed here as they just try and investigate, trying to take the level down of anything that may have happened there.” Abrams update: “It turns out there was a misunderstanding there among the parties. Everyone was released. There were no charges.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Galbreath assists on a traffic stop. “What it appears is the sergeant or K9 attempted to stop this young lady in this…sedan. She failed to stop for them, fled, and was detained and arrested right here.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Sgt. Monica Lee and other units investigate after a call comes in about a man waving a gun at a carnival. After gathering information from witnesses, cops pull over a vehicle by a motel and detain several subjects. A gun is allegedly found in the back seat of a vehicle during a car search. One of the subjects who claims the cops are making a mistake that could cost them their jobs: “…I legit have not done sh*t…I’m not doing nothing…” Sgt. Lee: “We have aggravated assault charges times two on the gentleman with the black shirt. So he’s gonna be taking a ride today for two felony charges. We’re gonna let the other two go. We don’t have charges on the other two.” Abrams: “I love that ‘this is a career decision you’re making here’ line that we often hear to the cops. ‘This is gonna be the final arrest you ever make.'”

“…I legit have not done sh*t…I’m not doing nothing…”

  • Frederick, Md. — Ofr. Solano responds to a disturbance at a hotel and makes contact with a person in the lobby.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Galbreath assists in the pursuit of a stolen vehicle which winds up wrecking out in front of a house. Foot bail. He detains one subject after a foot bail. A second subject is subsequently is detained with the help of a K9.

Det. Galbreath initial summary: “We responded to an area of a stolen vehicle that’s fled from our department three or four times in the last few days. The vehicle in question was stolen from the city of Tampa. It was involved in numerous armed burglaries, and firearms stolen in the process. Fled at a high rate of speed, ended up becoming disabled, I guess, into a residence. Numerous people bailed out from the vehicle. Multiple officers gave chase on foot. K-9 is tracking on the ground. We were able to detain somebody.”

Det. Galbreath follow up recap: “…We’re developing this pretty quick; this is a very fluid investigation. So we have everybody accounted for. It looks like now five total outstanding that we have detained and in custody. Three females were apprehended bailing from the car. Two males apprehended bailing from the car — one that we got, one that was dog bit out of this truck. Like I was saying, it’s a stolen vehicle that was involved in armed burglaries in the city of Tampa where a firearm was stolen. We’re there busting out the windshield with like a brick, we’re kicking it, of vehicles. They stole this vehicle from Tampa. It’s been fleeing our city for the last three or four days, and it was fleeing recklessly tonight. We were able to stick it, it became disabled, and numerous bailouts. They appear all to be younger individuals, but everyone’s accounted for. We’re gonna get that male checked out for his dog bite by the fire department, and determine everybody’s charges and inventory of the car, and see if there’s any evidence in there, but besides that, it was great work. Very quick perimeter, even though this vehicle was very reckless in our city. Everyone’s accounted for, which is awesome. We’ll be back to our car to get everything situated and straight.”

Abrams: “Captain Rizzo, as we were watching that, you were pointing out that the canine officer was not celebrating.” Rizzo: “No, it looks like that, of course, but it’s to reward the behavior of doing what it was supposed to do in that position, and that’s to apprehend. The way we reinforce it, we don’t want the dog to lose its drive, it’s rewarded with a celebration of behavior, not in what happened as far as hurting anybody.

“…Everyone’s accounted for, which is awesome…”

Lt. Richie Maher additional info: “Just doing a cursory search to make sure weapons not totally visible, make sure there’s not bodies in the trunk. We’ll seal it up, check it forensically for evidence. It’s involved in some statewide armed burglaries. Obviously, we have a bunch in custody courtesy of VCAT doing a phenomenal job. Got a bunch of stop stick hits on it and came to rest here. Tried to run on foot, really stupid idea; the dogs were right here. Dogs bailed out, got a good bite on the driver. So he’s gonna be going straight to jail on a bunch of charges. Grand theft auto, fleeing, eluding, reckless driving, all kinds of stuff. Positive outcome, nobody’s hurt, except for the guy that got bitten. He cannot run today.” Abrams: “Now remember, this vehicle was also connected to a number of armed robberies, so you’ve got a three-fer here, right? You’ve got vehicle linked to other armed robberies, vehicle has fled from police numerous times, and then you have what happened tonight.” Rizzo: “And stolen.” Abrams: “And stolen, sorry. Four. And stolen.” Rizzo: “Four-play.”

  • Everett, Wash. — Ofr. Gottas is racing to the scene of an alleged assault with a firearm. Ofrs. Gottas and Michael Phillips subsequently initiate a traffic stop outside a cheesesteak restaurant and detain a male at gunpoint who was in a suspect vehicle who appears to have a gun holster. Knife allegedly spotted in the car. The subject allegedly fired a warning shot, according to cops. Investigation ongoing.

Listen to cops briefly discuss the allegations:

  • Fontana, Calif. — In a sequence that consumed an inordinate amount of airtime, Ofr. Gearhart and other units plus a helicopter chase two fleeing motorcyclists. Ofr. Brian Zozaya, who is on foot, subsequently detains three subjects at a riverbed who are with a large gathering. A vehicle leaving the scene runs over one of the bikes. There is a question, however, as to identification; i.e., if cops detained the correct individuals. Perhaps trying to sound like a “cool dad,” Ofr. Gearhart has a long conversation with the subjects which the OPL viewership seemed to generally find tedious and/or purposeless. In the end, cops issue some citations, the subjects were released to their “guardians,” and two bikes with VIN numbers allegedly scratched off were towed.

Listen to Ofr. Zozaya’s recap from the scene as well as comments from the panel:

  • Richland County, S.C. — Dep. Jose Lopez and other units respond to a disturbance at a unit in an apartment complex and interacts with several young persons inside, at least one of whom appears argumentative. Apparently the remedy is for the leaseholder to initiate an eviction in civil court; this is not a police matter.
  • Hazen, Ark. — Chief Taylor investigates a situation which turns out to be just fireworks. He advises a person on scene that it is illegal to use fireworks before or after the July 4 window.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Ofr. Lopez and other units respond to a report of an alleged fight in progress and make contact with a male and female on the street who deny that a fight occurred.
  • BOLO segment — Denver, Colo., smash and grabbers.
  • Missing segment — Rio Rancho, N.M.
  • Hazen, Ark. — Chief Taylor and Sgt. Dillion initiate a friendly traffic stop on a truck for a non-functioning headlight. Chief Taylor and the driver, who was consuming a honey bun, know each other. Taylor jokes that “I’m taking you in…you know it’s illegal to eat a honey bun and drive down the road, right?” Caption: “Halted with honey bun.” The cops open the hood and restore the headlight for the driver. Abrams: “Light fixed, problem solved.”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — As the episode concludes, Det. Galbreath and other units respond to a report of a verbal disturbance at a hotel and interacts with a guest who says his car disappeared from the location. “I got outraged a little. I kind of… was a little bit…I did a little bit more than what I should have done…to be honest with you.” The people at the front desk apparently apologized to the man. Another officer on scene seems to explain that issue was that the car did not have the required tag of some kind on the windshield and was apparently towed. The subject insists that when his wife checked in, staff never provided the tag. “…She graduated college, I graduated college, I have a master’s degree, so I’m pretty smart. Anybody tell me that ‘hey, we have to give you this and put it inside your windshield,’ I would put it inside my windshield….it’s simple, but it was not given.”

“…I have a master’s degree, so I’m pretty smart…”