‘Live PD’ Cancellation Has Some Rejoicing

Wednesday’s announcement that A&E canceled Live PD has caused quite a stir, although not everyone’s upset with the decision. The cancellation was decided by both A&E and MGM’s Big Fish Entertainment, which produces the program, which comes as a response to the ongoing protests calling for an end to police brutality.

As the protests continue across the U.S., there have been numerous examples of officers engaging violently with demonstrators, often unprovoked. While some of the officers have been arrested and are currently facing charges for their actions, it has called into question how the police are portrayed in TV and film, particularly in Live PD, which was already under fire for withholding footage of a man killed while in custody.

Cops, which has a similar format to Live PD, was about to premiere its 33rd season before it was canceled on Tuesday, also citing concerns over its portrayal of the police given with how current events continued to unfold. A statement from A&E read that they’re deciding “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,” adding that it was working with activists and police departments for the best way to move forward. In the meantime, quite a few people took to Twitter to celebrate the network’s decision.

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