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

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 airs live incidents reportedly on an approximately five-to-20 minute tape delay.

Pre-recorded segments are typically included the show content.

An On Patrol: Live recap, including studio host Dan Abrams’ puns, analysis, and banter with co-anchor Curtis Wilson (Richland County, S.C., deputy sheriff), and an analyst in the third studio chair that changes from week to week, along with the often-snarky or playful social media reaction, follows. 

[Retired Tulsa, Okla., cop Sean “Sticks” Larkin, the former member of the trio, has phased out of the OPL studio analyst role.]

This weekend, Brookford N.C., Police Chief Will Armstrong returns the set to provide commentary.

Also, the Volusia County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office is taking a break from OPL, and the Lee County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office joins the show going forward.

Last week, the Weld County, Colo. Sheriff’s Office replaced its Nye County, Nev. counterpart (see update below).

The Peacock and FreeCast streaming services carry the Reelz Channel, which is the home of OPL.

Please review this important DISCLAIMER.

On Patrol: Live Summary for October 20, 2023 (#OPL Episode 02-23)

  • Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — Ofr. Lindsay Zarick and other units respond to report of a shooting at an apartment complex. According to Abrams, there was a fatality in the incident. Investigation ongoing.
  • Toledo, Ohio — Officers, including Greg Long Jr., search for someone who reportedly fled from a domestic incident at a convenience store, according to Abrams. They converge outside a home where they believe the subject is located. A female on the second-floor porch seems uncooperative; heavy bleeping. Ofr. Long tries to reason with her to cooperate. He also communicates with another man, not the suspect, on the porch. Abrams: “They keep saying they don’t know what’s going on, and yet the police keep explaining again and again what’s going on. So it’s got to be very frustrating for them. They’re not gonna leave right now.” The subject, who is allegedly a “frequent flyer,” is taken into custody after cops enter the location. Long: “Hopefully, the juvenile justice system will take care of him, so we won’t have to deal with him for a while. Hopefully, put him away.” The woman is also apparently arrested. Chief Armstrong: “It looks like she is likely facing an obstruction charge because they were asking questions over and over again about didn’t she know he was in the home. She lied. She just kept arguing…”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Noah Galbreath conducts a traffic stop and detains a man, the registered owner of the car, at gunpoint who allegedly has a warrant for failure to appear in court.
  • Lee County, Fla. — Deputies respond to report of a man brandishing a weapon at a tire shop. They detain a subject. A victim, an employee who allegedly was struck in the head with a stick or another object, declines to press charges.
  • BOLO segment — Double-homicide suspect in Richland County, S.C.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Cops, including Sgt. Mike Bryant, make an arrest of an older man at Biketober Fest who allegedly scuffled with officers. Charges possibly include trespassing and resisting arrest.
  • Hazen, Ark. — Chief Bradley Taylor and Sgt. Clayton Dillion make a traffic stop. They allegedly find a gun in the vehicle, which is a legal issue because two of the occupants are said to be felons. The chief explains that the trio, none of whom have a license, will be released, but cops will follow up with the local prosecutor to determine charges, if any. The gun is confiscated for now, and the vehicle is towed.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Capt. Danny Brown and Master Dep. Braylyn Salmond make a traffic stop on a vehicle at a closed mall. Salmond: “When we pulled in, they tried to exit the parking lot, so we got out with them…trying to figure out what they were up to…We observed an odor of marijuana coming from the interior of the vehicle” prompting a probable cause search. Xanax pills allegedly found. The car has sticker that reads “do MILFS, not drugs.” An occupant is apparently arrested.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Cpl. Rebekah Smith and other units search on foot at an apartment complex for the OPL BOLO “A1 priority” suspect who may have been spotted. Wilson and Abrams underscore that this suspect is also “a possible person of interest in other shootings.”
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Cpl. Bryson Fowler responds to a possible home invasion and retains a man on the porch of the home who claims “it’s my crib.” The subject is cited for trespassing and released.
  • Lee County, Fla. — Dep. Damian Lehmann makes contact with a couple, and then a woman on a bike, over a possible trespassing report.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Dep. Salmond conducts a traffic stop. Caption: “Possible DUI.” He claims that the driver smells of alcohol. Another deputy is called to the scene to conduct field sobriety testing, about which Abrams asserts “this does not seem particularly close.” The woman is arrested on suspicion of DUI; the vehicle is towed.
  • Volusia County, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Deputies pursue an allege carjacked vehicle and detained the driver, age 17, at gunpoint. He faces several charges.
  • Berkeley County, S.C. — Cpl. Fowler respond to an alarm at residence, but it turns out that it was accidentally tripped, and everything is good at the location.
  • Triple Play #1 — Marion County, Fla. Erratic driver pursuit. After being apprehended, the subject faces multiple charges.

Chief Armstrong discusses the mindset in a high-speed pursuit: “When you’re engaged in a pursuit like that, you’re having to monitor everything that’s going on, not just inside the vehicle as far as your lights, your siren, your radio, everything going on with that. But you’re monitoring your traffic conditions. And you’re thinking to yourself, ‘why are they running,’ and the more violations that are occurring, you’re wondering ‘why are you doing so much to get a way.’ And when you really don’t know, that just makes you feel on edge even more. But you’ve got so many things going on. You just have to take a deep breath, and let it come to you. I tell people all the time when they’re starting at the department and that’s never been in a pursuit before — I say take a deep breath, make sure that you’re watching everything in front of that vehicle, and make sure that you’re paying attention to what you’re doing. As long as you do those things, and you keep your distance, a lot of times you’ll be okay. But it’s just remembering…the time’s on your side. The ball is in your court; take your time.”

  • Toledo, Ohio — Officers respond to a report of a suspicious person walking around with a bat at a trailer park. The man is apparently helping out the park with security. Wilson: “Trying to do a good deed.” Ofrs. Long and Shade Keeney advises the subject that’s unsafe to do security on his own, especially when neighbors might think he is an intruder. Ofr. Keeney: “If they want to hire a company to come in here, and they take on the liability, by all means hire the company, but the mobile home park is not going to cover you if you get injured. That’s just gonna be on you.” Abrams: “And if you’re gonna do security for the residents, you should just make sure the residents know, so they don’t call in and say ‘whose the dude with the yellow vest and the bat and the flashlight walking around?’ Inform; communicate.”
  • Lee County, Fla. — Deputies conduct a bicycle stop on a bike with no lights and apparently runs a database check on the bicyclist.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. (pre-recorded segment) — Officers make contact with an apparently homeless man on the street who offers an etymological theory about trespassing. Abrams: “A man claimed he could not be committing a crime, at least not this crime, because he was white.” The subject claims he’s been arrested “30 times” in connection with his homeless status over the past two years. He allegedly went inside the empty house to find a real estate agent’s business card in order to rent it. Lt. Richie Maher praises the man for his honesty; “Never change, my guy. Never change.” Cops will contact the owner to find out if the owner wants to press any charges.

Abrams: “As ridiculous as an excuse as that was, I did want to look up the origin of the word trespass, and he has it totally wrong. It actually comes from French, not Spanish…” Armstrong: “I hope he finds a realtor.” Abrams quips, in response, that: “Hey, they’re are a lot of real estate agents I’m sure who watch this show. There’s a guy out there who’s looking for an excellent real estate agent, so if you’re interested, he’s in the market.”

  • Weld County, Colo. — Dep. Matt Tippets conducts a traffic stop on a pick-up truck for running a red light. Ticket likely issued.
  • Fullerton, Calif. – Cpl. Brandon Ramek and Ofr. Josh Walker respond to a report of a man refusing to leave a clothing store. The manager says the subject already left but she has a picture of him and as well as store video of same. The cops seem to know this individual. Abrams: “A ‘frequent flyer’ they are familiar with.” Officers intend to look for him in the area.
  • Fullerton, Calif. — Ofr. Mariah Cohen and other units conduct a traffic stop on a motorist who apparently has no license. Drug paraphernalia allegedly found; the drive also allegedly violated a court order. She is arrested.
  • Missing segment — Portland, Maine.
  • Richland County, S.C. — Deputies conduct traffic stop near the Obama convenience store and allegedly find drug paraphernalia and a large knife in the car. Dep. Salmond: “We rolled up on this car… right next to everyone’s favorite gas station, and got out with the guy, and saw some white powdery-like substance or rock-like substance…Tested it. Came back positive for cocaine base. So the gentleman is going to jail tonight right there…he says this is his firs time getting arrested…”
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Galbreath conducts a traffic stop on a car that stopped in the middle of the road and is obstructing traffic. The officer also measures a window tint violation. The driver is very argumentative which Galbreath describes as a “spirited conversation.” He is released with a warning. Galbreath explains to the driver that “I’m an easy-going guy, okay, but when you do all the shouting and stuff, it just doesn’t make it as easy, okay? I’m not out here heming up people with a bunch of tickets and everything, okay? I’m looking for bad people doing bad things, okay? That’s what my unit does. We’re a fugitive unit, okay. So we go to problem areas. We do proactive traffic stops for any violations…but I’m not writing you a bunch of tickets….”

Abrams: “Is it so hard to just say ‘thanks’? Wilson: “People talk themselves into more tickets.” Abrams: “All this guy has to say is ‘thank you.’ And I’m not giving you any tickets, none, zero.”

  • Lee County, Fla. — Deputies spot a man who, it turns out, is sleeping in his car. Caption: “Personal alarm clock.” Odor of weed allegedly coming from vehicle; probable cause search. The driver, who indicates his baby mama kicked him out of the house after an argument, apparently admits to having a little bit of weed. He is released with a warning. Dep. Lehmann: “Don’t smoke and drive.”
  • Richland County, S.C. — Traffic stop. Dep. Salmond pours out the contents of an open container.
  • Lee County, Fla. — Traffic stop; weed odor. A gun and meth allegedly found in a car search, along with pet Cockatiel.
  • Daytona Beach, Fla. — Det. Galbreath and other units pursue on foot a passenger who exited and then ran from a car in an attempted traffic stop. The subject is detained. The car is apparently still at large. Galbreath: “I tried to stop a purple-colored Kia in front of one of our nightclubs. Passenger popped out of the car, started walking towards the nightclub. Obviously, whenever you do a traffic stop, everybody is detained in the car, no matter who, where they are. Tried to stop the passenger. He started taking off running. Foot pursuit. Had some other assets in the area luckily. He…started to go behind a business, produced a firearm from his waistband, was holding the firearm in his hand. Numerous orders given by officers to drop the firearm, and he didn’t. He kept walking with the firearm. He was tackled by a captain, placed under arrest, and the firearm was retrieved…he is going to jail for sure.”
  • Hazen, Ark. — As the episode concludes, Chief Taylor investigates an incident in which a brick was thrown through the bathroom window at a residence. Abrams: “So a ‘brick’ dropped in the bathroom.”

On Patrol: Live Summary for October 21, 2023 (#OPL Episode 02-24)

CLICK HERE for the OPL 02-24 recap.

Nye County Update

From the Pahrump Valley Times published on October 17:

After a 15-month run, “On Patrol: Live” will no longer be filming in Pahrump.

Sheriff Joe McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times that news from the show’s producers was sudden and unexpected. He said he wasn’t given a reason to why film crews decided to suspend filming in Pahrump for now.

“I think that they just want to keep things fresh,” he said. “We told them that they’re welcome to come back anytime and they said they would like to come back sometime.”

The Nye County Sheriff’s Office posted an announcement on Facebook …thanking the show for highlighting the work of the agency over the past several months.

It’s entirely speculative as to whether the officer-involved shooting In Nye had anything to do with OPL‘s sudden decision and whether OPL perhaps wanted to avoid any controversy that sometimes befell Live PD.

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, for a while anyway, had tapered off.