'Live PD' Star Dan Abrams Weighs in on Future of A&E Series

Live PD star Dan Abrams has once again weighed in on future of the A&E series, after it was pulled from the schedule in June. After being asked by a fan if the show is coming back, Abrams stated that the network is working to determine if there is a "pathway forward" for the show, and that he hopes to see Live PD become "an important part" of the discussion on police-citizen relations. Notably, Abrams then went on to reveal that he has some "non-Live PD" news coming, but did not allude to what that may be.

On June 5, A&E announced that it was pulling Live PD from it's schedule, due to the nationwide unrest and protests over police brutality, which sparked in the wake of George Floyd's death. Floyd, a Black man, died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest. In a statement shared by Variety, the A&E explained, they "have made the decision not to broadcast" the show. They added that this decision was both "out of respect for the families of George Floyd and others who have lost their lives." It was also made "in consideration for the safety of all involved." A&E also stated that the decision was made "in consultation with the departments" that are featured on Live PD.

I think A&E is doing what they said in their initial announcement, determining if there’s a “pathway” forward. I hope so and think with some changes it could be an important part of the national discussion. (In the meantime, I’ll have some other non-livepd show news tomorrow) https://t.co/u7coUtVfpE

— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) July 6, 2020

In other comments after Live PD was taken off of A&E's schedule, Abrams assured fans that it would be back. "To all of you asking whether #LivePD coming back, the answer is yes," he wrote in a tweet on June 9. "All of us associated with the show are as committed to it as ever. We are still discussing some specifics but I want to assure the #LivePDNation that we are not abandoning you."

The following day, June 10, A&E announced that it was canceling Live PD entirely, for the time being. "This is a critical time in our nation's history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD," the network said in a statement. "Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them. And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments." Abrams new statement suggests that the show may return at some point in the future.