On Patrol: Live is the new series featuring the team behind Live PD, and recently it made its debut on Reelz, just shy of two years since its controversial predecessor, Live PD, was canceled. Hosts Dan Abrams and Sean “Sticks” Larkin return, alongside Live PD executive producer John Zito, but Abrams told Entertainment Weekly there are some key differences between the two shows. Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson, Division Commander with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department in Columbia, South Carolina, will also join the hosts in the studio.
One of the biggest new features is the “Citizen Ride-Along” segment, where local residents within the highlighted communities will join officers. The first season will embed viewers with seven police and sheriff’s departments across the country. On Patrol: Live will air for three hours Fridays and Saturdays, with a five- to 30-minute tape delay.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The “Citizen Ride-Along” segment is still taking shape, Abrams explained. “Those are gonna be people who probably watch the show and who [are in] the community where one of the departments is riding with us. They’ll go and report back to us,” he told EW. “I don’t know that we’ve completely figured out exactly sort of what that segment will look like, but the point is for them to ride with the police and then come back and talk to us about that experience.”
Abrams described the new segment as an “upgrade” to Live PD, not a reaction to the scrutiny Live PD and Cops came under. The two shows were pulled off television networks during the summer of 2020, following the nationwide protests against police brutality and racism. “When you get to start from scratch, you want to figure out, ‘How do we make a better show? How do we make a different show?’ That was the goal here,” Abrams said.
Another big change is the show’s behind-the-scenes policies. Before Live PD was canceled, the show was criticized for not keeping footage from the death of Javier Ambler. The 40-year-old was in Austin, Texas police custody when he died in March 2019. His death was caught on police cameras, but a Live PD crew was there as well. Their footage never aired and A&E Networks said the footage was deleted. Abrams said there will be “more exceptions,” but they still don’t plan to keep tapes for more than 30 days unless there is an incident similar to Ambler’s death.
“I think that the previous rule was far too doctrinaire and too strict – it was 30 days, and unless we have a subpoena, we destroyed the tape,” Abrams explained. “This time around we are going to be cautious about that, when there’s something where we think, ‘This is an exceptional event,’ even though we didn’t air it, the producers are going to keep it.”
If there is another incident like Ambler’s death, Abrams said they should air it. “I think there were two mistakes that were made [in 2019],” Abrams told EW. “Number one is, I think it should have been aired, just obviously not the final moments, so people could see for themselves [what happened]. And number two, that the tape should have been retained. I think that this new show would adhere to both of those.” Abrams went on to say he is “all ears” if someone has “specific” criticisms of the new series.
Live PD aired on A&E and was one of the network’s most-watched shows before it was canceled in June 2020. Abrams defended the show and was open about his desire to revive it over the past two years. His team came true when Reelz stepped in last month and officially announced On Patrol: Live. The series premieres on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
