Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 16 January 2018
Image problem? Some cities

end their role in A&E’s ‘Live PD’

By DAVE COLLINS es, the University of Bridge- Abrams, the program’s
Associated Press port and others interested host. “Putting a lens on the
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — in attracting people and day-to-day work that po-
For some of the law en- investments to Connecti- lice officers do is important.
forcement agencies that cut’s largest city, said Av And some of it isn’t pretty,”
agreed to be on A&E Net- Harris, a spokesman for Abrams said. “I think the
work’s real-time police Mayor Joe Ganim. notion that it is a bad thing
show “Live PD,” the goal “If that’s the only thing is actually the wrong way
of being more transparent that’s being publicized to look at it. ... You can say
In this Nov. 3, 2016 photo, a crew from the television program with their profession under nationally about our city, that the crimes that oc-
“Live PD,” a reality show by the A&E Network, records an
officer from the Bridgeport Police Department while on patrol in increasing scrutiny clashed it can have a negative im- curred are bad.”
Bridgeport, Conn. with concerns over public pact,” he said. “We don’t In Ohio, Streetsboro police
Associated Press image.Police departments have the Travel Channel left “Live PD” in November
in Bridgeport, Connecti- doing anything on how after appearing in six epi-
cut; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and wonderful all our econom- sodes.
Streetsboro, Ohio, ended ic development projects Chief Darin Powers said
agreements to be on the are.” that while it was good for
program since it premiered Bridgeport, a city with the public to see what his
in October 2016 as some pockets of deep poverty officers do, there were
local government leaders that saw homicides dou- manpower and overtime
concluded the national ble to 23 last year, left the issues because officers
spotlight on criminal activ- show in December 2016, with “Live PD” crews with
ity overshadowed the posi- less than two months after them didn’t have room in
tive things happening in the series began. their cruisers to transport
their hometowns. During the city’s short run suspects.
Another department, the on the program, a police And local officials became
Greenville County Sheriff’s sergeant was arrested on a worried about the city’s im-
Office in South Carolina, domestic violence charge, age.
ended its run on the show which was later dismissed, “I personally thought it por-
in August, saying deputies shortly after she appeared trayed our city in a nega-
needed a break from the on an episode warning tive light,” said John Ruedi-
cameras. viewers about the dangers ger, city council president.
The show, which airs Friday of domestic violence. Two “I think every city has its
and Saturday nights, has people shown on the show share of problems, and I
live camera crews follow- later filed lawsuits accusing don’t think it’s always best
ing officers in several po- police of brutality. to highlight those issues. I
lice departments as they Another sergeant respond- was personally concerned
patrol. There is a delay of ing to a call involving a that any kid featured on
five to 20 minutes to pre- dead baby was shown the show could end up
vent the airing of disturb- breaking down in his cruiser bullied ... especially if their
ing content or the release as he talked about it after- parent is on the show do-
of information that could ward, which drew media ing something bad.”
compromise investigations, coverage and praise on But in Jeffersonville, Indi-
the show’s producers say. social media for showing ana, where police have
“As the debate over the officers’ sensitive sides. been doing “Live PD” since
policing of America con- Feedback from most of the April, the public response
tinues to be a part of the two dozen police depart- has been overwhelming-
daily conversation across ments that have appeared ly positive, said Assistant
the nation, Live PD view- on the show has been posi- Chief Michael McVoy.
ers get unfettered and un- tive, said Dan Cesareo, “For us, it’s humanizing the
filtered live access inside creator and executive pro- badge, No. 1,” he said.
a variety of the country’s ducer of “Live PD.” “For every 1,000 positive
busiest police forces, both “Our only goal is to docu- comments or likes or social
urban and rural, and the ment policing across media hits or fuzzy, warm
communities they patrol America,” said Cesareo, feelings we get from across
on a typical night,” the president of Big Fish Enter- the country, there are al-
show’s website says. tainment. “We very much ways five or 10 that say,
In Bridgeport, officials were are very neutral in terms of ‘Hey. Why are you arrest-
pleased the program what we’re showing.” ing this guy for marijuana
showed the hard work and Concerns about the show possession?’ Stuff like that.
bravery of city police offi- appear to be mostly po- Some people don’t see
cers, but complaints start- litical and not coming from eye to eye with what we
ed rolling in from business- police officials, said Dan do.”q