Live PD Returns With New Name and Network
Live PD will return this summer with a new name and network.
The show’s working title is On Patrol: Live. It will be produced by those behind Live PD, and will air on Reelz. It will be hosted by Mediaite founder Dan Abrams, who will also serve as an executive producer. The show will air on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to midnight, just like Live PD did and will follow police officers from police departments nationwide. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Wednesday, which was later confirmed via press release.
“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,” Abrams said, in a press release. “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.”
Stan E. Hubbard, the CEO of Reelz, added, “We’ve been in contact with Half Moon [productions] for some time and strongly believe that Reelz is the perfect home for On Patrol: Live, which will add to our network as the cornerstone of our commitment to commissioning brand-defining, must-see original programming. With the collective talent assembled, we know we are working with the best, most experienced team there is to produce this type of series and together we will do everything in our power to earn the trust and loyalty of viewers excited for this show.”
The show will incorporate some new elements designed to engage directly with the public. In one new feature, local members of the community will actually ride along with officers.
“‘Citizen Ride-Alongs’ will give local residents, within the communities of the departments appearing on the show, a first-hand perspective as they ride along with officers followed by On Patrol: Live cameras on live nights,” the network said in its release. “‘Citizens On-Set’ will invite community members into the studio as guests where they can share their Ride-Along experiences and observations and comment on the night’s live activities. Both features offer a unique opportunity for viewers and members of the community to gain unprecedented access to law enforcement – from routine calls and high-stakes incidents to tracking down fugitives of justice and recovering missing children – all in an effort to promote transparency.”
Live PD was canceled in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died when a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, who is White, put his left knee on Floyd’s neck while Floyd was in custody over allegedly using counterfeit bills. Chauvin was convicted on state and federal charges and sentenced altogether to more than 20 years behind bars.
The news of its return will undoubtedly be well-received by the show’s notoriously rabid fan base. Live PD regularly topped 1 million viewers in the advertiser coveted adults 25-54 demographic — frequently topping Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN combined in that metric.
Abrams believes the show provides a much-needed window into how the police operate on a day-to-day basis.
“At a time when people have a lot of questions about law enforcement, it allows the audience to see in real time what police officers do and how they do it, including the nuances and the uncertainty about what happens next,” he said.
