One day after Paramount Network confirmed it had dropped long-running reality TV show "Cops," A&E has announced the cancellation of a similar series, "Live PD."
According to The Associated Press, the move came Wednesday as protests continued across the country over George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day.
In a statement, A&E said its decision to pull "Live PD," which follows police in the field, comes at "a critical time in our nation's history."
"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," the statement read, according to the AP. "And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments."
The cancellation also followed reports that "Live PD" had been filming as deputies in Williamson County, Texas, used stun guns during the March 2019 arrest of Javier Ambler, who later died. A&E said it destroyed the footage, which never aired on TV, after police finished investigating the incident, USA Today reported.
"Live PD" host Dan Abrams tweeted late Wednesday that he was "shocked and beyond disappointed" that A&E was dropping the show.
"To the loyal #LivePDNation, please know I, we, did everything we could to fight for you, and for our continuing effort at transparency in policing," wrote Abrams, who had reassured fans just a day earlier that he believed the series would continue. "I was convinced the show would go on."
He later thanked "Live PD" viewers for making the series "so much more than a TV show."
"You created a huge community of kind, caring people with whom I hope to stay in touch with in this next chapter," Abrams tweeted.
Shocked & beyond disappointed about this. To the loyal #LivePDNation please know I, we, did everything we could to fight for you, and for our continuing effort at transparency in policing. I was convinced the show would go on. . More to come. . .https://t.co/WWh7fDrig2
— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 11, 2020
I am going to finally go to sleep but I just want to say one more thing to the #LivePDNation. Thank you for making this so much more than a tv show. You created a huge community of kind, caring people with whom I hope to stay in touch with in this next chapter. More tomorrow. . .
— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 11, 2020
Both A&E and Paramount Network had stopped airing episodes of the reality shows before announcing the cancellations, the AP reported.
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– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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