COLUMBIA, S.C. — They’re baaaaaaaack! Fans of A&E’s “Live PD” can once again follow deputies of from police and sheriff's departments as they go live later this summer on a new show, “On Patrol: Live” on REELZ.
REELZ television channel announced the revamped show's return Wednesday morning. The format will be the same, with Dan Abrams is back as the host.
Said Abrams, “Law enforcement is front and center in the national discussion, and our hope is that showing the work of police officers in a live format will provide viewers with direct access to the work they do. I’m thrilled our team is finally back together and excited that REELZ has committed to making this show front and center on their network.”
Chuck Archie, a member of South Carolina’s Richland County Citizens’ Advisory Council, an all-volunteer community group established to increase professional competence and public accountability at RCSD said, “Transparency is an absolute requirement when it comes to policing. We are a diverse group in every way – race, socioeconomics, politics and so much more – which is why giving local law enforcement the community perspective on issues is so important, and conversely, why it’s so important for the community to be able to see what officers are doing. We see a live show like this as having a positive effect on our process.”
The show will air Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m.-midnight, documenting the real time everyday work of law enforcement officers from police and sheriff's departments across the US. At the time of the announcement, RCSD spokeswoman Capt. Maria Yturria could not confirm RCSD deputies would be one of the law enforcement agencies participating in the live show.
One South Carolina law enforcement agency did confirm it is participating in the show. Berkeley County Sheriff's Office tweeted out just after noon on Wednesday that officers are in final stages of production and will be featured on "On Patrol: Live."
Live PD was a program on the A&E network that followed police departments around the country while officers were out on patrol. The Richland County Sheriff's Department had been one of those featured agencies since the show's debut in 2016.
Sheriff Leon Lott and the department had gained national exposure while it was on the air, and Lott in the past had credited it with improving the perception of his department and allowing officers to better connect with the community.
However, Live PD was abruptly canceled by A&E in the summer of 2020 following the protest of police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd, the Minnesota man who was killed by Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
REELZ is available in 70 million homes on DIRECTV channel 238, DISH Network channel 299, Verizon FiOS TV channel 692HD, AT&T U-verse channels 799/1799HD and Xfinity, Spectrum, and many other cable and streaming systems nationwide.