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

An On Patrol: Live recap including NYC studio host Dan Abrams’ puns, analysis, and banter with co-anchor Curtis Wilson (a Richland County, S.C., deputy sheriff), and Captain Tom Rizzo (Howell Township, N.J., PD) along with the often-snarky or playful social media reaction, follows.

 [Best viewed in Google Chrome.] 

The highlight of the episode was the indispensable role of K9s in police pursuits.

Abrams: “…we are keeping an eye on our nine departments and on a lot of K9s doing a lot of hard work out there.”

For background information about On Patrol: Live (i.e., Live PD 2.0), that airs on the Reelz channel (which is available on the Peacock and FreeCast streaming services and on some satellite and cable systems ), click here.

 OPL lawsuit settlement:   The A&E vs. OPL copyright infringement-related lawsuit is officially resolved out of court thanks perhaps to the inclusion of a potentially lucrative side deal involving Amazon Prime.

Deadline Hollywood reports that “The long-running dispute between A+E Networks, cable network Reelz and Amazon-owned Big Fish Entertainment over Live PD has been settled. The three companies have ‘reached a resolution’ in the case, which was related to Reelz launching On Patrol: Live after the cancellation of Live PD on A&E. In addition, A+E Networks has struck a non-exclusive licensing deal with Big Fish owner Amazon.” Variety added, in good news for fans, that “With this suit now settled, On Patrol: Live, as produced by Big Fish, has the OK to continue on Reelz.” According to Reuters, “A&E, On Patrol: Live producer Big Fish Entertainment and Amazon said in a joint statement on Friday that the case was settled in connection with an agreement to expand A&E’s commercial relationship with Amazon.”

Agency update: The Knox County, Tenn.. Sheriff’s Office, makes its OPL debut this weekend.

Update from last weekend:

On Patrol: Live Summary for November 22, 2024 (#OPL Episode 03-35)

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.
  • Butts County, Ga. — Deputies make a friendly traffic stop on a driver who seems excited to be on TV. “This is the best pullover ever.” She is released with a warning for window tint.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Master Dep. Braylyn Salmond and a colleague detain two men on a traffic stop when the passenger allegedly tried to walk away. Dep. Salmond claims he smells weed. Probable cause car search follows. OPL caption: “Drugs and gun found.”

OPL host Dan Abrams: “iPhone ringing, the car alarm — we got to got to a different scene now. I’m gonna go crazy listening to that..”

Dep. Salmond asserts that “he got a large sum of cash, along with the gun and the drugs, indicative of an intent to distribute whatever substance…” In an Abrams update, the host alleges that the man “was arrested for possession of ecstasy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack.” The other man “was released with no charges.”

  • Richland County, S.C. –Cpl. Ethyn Perkins conducts a traffic stop on a car that was allegedly weaving. Cpl. Perkins: “Is your license good.” Response: “No.” Perkins: “I appreciate the honesty.”

Cpl. Perkins summary: “So, we’re just driving down the road…they crossed over the yellow line right back there. When I pulled them over, I guess her license, she already told me, it’s gonna be suspended. She doesn’t know if the vehicle has insurance on it. And then, honestly, out of all that, probably my main concern is there’s a baby back there, and it’s facing forward. So, in South Carolina, until they’re the age of two, they need to be facing backwards. It’s just a safety issue. And I also don’t know if the baby’s actually even strapped in underneath.”

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. –Ofr. Eddie Lee and K9 Zeus assist other officers, including Sgt. Marcus Booth, in the pursuit of a suspect who allegedly fled by car and then on foot.

“They won today; we’ll win tomorrow.”

Listen to studio analyst Captain Tom. Rizzo discuss the police tactics in setting up a perimeter and tracking the suspect with a K9:

Ofr. Lee recap: “…we were right in the area along with a bunch of other cops. It took a little bit to get a starting point to put Zeus out. He started to track. A little contamination happened, but it is what it is. So we just immediately switched to an area search in hopes to find some odor to track on. Unfortunately, we didn’t, and there were tons of people out when the car was fleeing — pedestrians, like, walking around. So it’s kind of hard to say exactly which path he took. So we just checked…we just did an area search, and nothing. I don’t know if he broke the perimeter, got out, got inside of a house…but it is what it is. They won today; we’ll win tomorrow.” Abrams: “You can tell he’s a little frustrated there.” Rizzo: “K9 officers take such pride in what they do, and especially a track, and then to know that it was contaminated, and not a successful one. Absolutely right: They take pride in what they do, that’s for sure.”

  • Monroe, La. (pre-recorded segment) — The HEAT squad, including Ofrs. Serenity Smith and Khadeem Dumas-Brown, attempt to conduct a traffic stop at a gas station but the motorist drives off followed by a foot bail. The driver is subsequently detained. “I don’t know what the f*** I’m on.” Car search.

Listen to Ofr. Smith and then Abrams recap the charges against the suspect:

  • Monroe, La. –– Cops make friendly contact with a bicyclist for an alleged open container. The beer is poured out and the subject is released with a warning outside his residence. Abrams: “It’s over; he’s home.”
  • Triple Play #1 — Yet another Arkansas pursuit.
  • Butts County, Ga. — Sgts. Paul Vu and Kyle Cupp initiate a traffic stop on a truck for an inoperable tag lights (“ain’t working at all.”). Sgt. Vu alleges that “We stopped this vehicle right here for the tag lights being out. Upon approach, I could tell that she’ s extremely nervous. I…asked her for consent to search the vehicle, which she allowed. Upon searching the vehicle, which Sgt. Cupp is doing right now,…still going through it. I was searching through her bag, and she gave me consent to do that. And during the search of the bag, I located an amount of suspected methamphetamine in a pipe. So we’re gonna continue our search and see what else we got.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Assisting a neighboring agency, Cpl. Hunter Rogers, Cpl. BJ Nelson with K9 Kai, and other units, including Cpl. Dylan Lee and K9 Nash, extensively search on foot in a wooded area (“we’re gonna get wet”) for an alleged reckless-driving motorist in a truck who fled from officers. Deputies find the abandoned vehicle after stop sticks were successfully deployed. Abrams: “This is a bit tough for the cops there, right? This is tough terrain….this is important to remember. This is part of what police officers have to do.” Rizzo: “And let’s be fair, right? That doesn’t exactly look like a hiking outfit.” The subject of the search is finally spotted and detained.

Cpl. Rogers explains that “so K9 Kai has gone on the track. We’ve already found three or four different articles…the car keys, some money. We actually just found the suspect’s driver’s license, so we’re hot on him. Obviously, it’s super thick in here, pretty wet, but Corporal Nelson and K9 Kai are doing their thing, doing a pretty good job at the moment.” Rizzo: “So they have the different articles that they’re finding, and then what happens is when they get to another clear, which is a path that the suspect will take, they’ll go right hot back on track.”

Cpl. Nelson recap: “So again, we had a successful track with K9 Kai, helping Holly Hill police for failure-to-stop suspect. While we were tracking on the track, we could hear crunching in the woods. At that point, obviously, I gave commands to ‘show me your hands, you’re gonna get dog-bit.’ But then he complied and said, ‘hey, I don’t want to get dog-bit’ — obviously nobody does. And that’s when he came up, so we had a successful track, and one in custody, so we’re good. On to the next one.”

  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Ofr. Lee participates in another pursuit of a fleeing vehicle whose driver allegedly foot bailed. Det. Roger Lawson with K9 Ali and other officers also join. The suspect is subsequently located thanks to Ali and arrested on multiple charges.

“Great job by both K9 handlers. We can’t ask for a better outcome.”

Ofr. Lee recap: “…the driver bailed out; he bailed out and took off on foot. He was spotted by a citizen. I put K9 Zeus out on the ground where the citizen saw him last. Started tracking. He was gassed from working the last hour. So K9 officer Lawson and his partner Ali came. I worked out Zeus for a minute, and then Ali took over, tracked south. A sheriff’s office deputy saw the same suspect run again. K9 Ali kept tracking south, south, south. He’s located in an open garage door. K9 Ali went in there and began to alert. Officer Lawson gave a couple of announcements and warnings, and the suspect gave up almost instantly. We pulled him out and detained him. He’ll be going to jail for fleeing, eluding, resisting arrest, burglary, and if there’s anything else in the vehicle or anything that they find along the route.” Sgt. Booth: “…it looks like he went into the garage. After speaking to the homeowners, they said that the garage door was not open prior to him being located there…great job by both K9 handlers. We can’t ask for a better outcome.”

Abrams: “Bravo to the K9 officers; back to back right there. They got him.” Rizzo: “And that goes to show, from an area search in the woods to then a search that goes to a residential structure, these dogs are super effective.” Abrams: “...we are keeping an eye on our nine departments and on a lot of K9s doing a lot of hard work out there.”

  • Monroe, La. — Ofr. Trey Goins and a colleague initiate a traffic stop for speeding.
  • Monroe, La. — Some members of the HEAT squad assist a detective on a traffic stop. The driver initially tells cops he had “a couple of beers…about three.” He later amends that with five beers and/or one cup of gin. OPL caption: “Possible DUI.”
  • Knox County, Tenn. — Ofr. Aaron Johnson makes a traffic stop on a vehicle that allegedly ran a stop sign. “What’s going on, bro? Why you zooming so fast?” A passenger allegedly has warrants.
  • St. Lucie County, Fla. — Dep. Jonathan Sheelar and other units make a traffic stop on a truck that may or may not be involved in a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) alert from a neighboring agency. The driver is pulled out after he seems unwilling to turn off the vehicle and step out. “I’m not doing anything.” The driver is subsequently apologetic: “I’m sorry; my bad. I had a rough night…” A detective from the other agency is en route to the scene to talk to the driver. Abrams later claims that the motorist allegedly is the subject of the BOLO in connection reportedly with a homicide investigation.
  • Monroe, La. — Ofr. Goins makes a traffic stop on a truck that was allegedly weaving on the road. The driver allegedly says he had one cup of vodka. He is arrested for alleged DWI after field sobriety testing. The truck is towed after the driver indicates that he has no one to call to pick it up when given that option. Ofr. Smith, who is also on scene, is allegedly hit with some saliva: “As he was yelling profanities, he has placed his bodily fluids on my body. Pray for me…”
  • Butts County, Ga. — Deputies make a traffic stop at gunpoint (the response which seems to be the result of a misunderstanding). Two occupants. K9 deployed; K9 alert. Probable cause car search. The female passenger allegedly admits to a small amount of weed, which is stomped out. “I’m sorry; you can’t keep it.” The duo are released. A deputy expresses appreciation for the cooperation (“honesty goes a long ways”). Abrams explains that “remember they thought that this car was rolling a little bit forward which is why they had them come out at gunpoint.”

Listen to one of the deputies on scene briefly explain the circumstances of the stop:

  • Humboldt County, Calif. — Dep. Landon Stoner and other units clear a residence on a call about a robbery. No intruders found, and nothing appears to have been taken.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Cpl. Perkins provides backup on a traffic stop. Car search. OPL caption: “Drugs and gun found.” The contraband includes a box of purported edibles allegedly found in the car trunk. OPL caption: “Fists of stoner?”
  • Knox County, Tenn. — Ofr. Johnson and and a colleague conduct a traffic stop for a suspended license. Two occupants. Consensual car search.
  • Butts County, Ga. — As the episode ends, deputies respond to a report of a car fire.
CLICK HERE for the #OPL 03-36, November 23, 2024, recap  [forthcoming] .

Note: Owing to weekend travel, no recaps for the November 15-16 episodes were published here.