New Season of Cops Pulled From Networks in Wake of George Floyd Protests

A new season of COPS has been delayed by Paramount Network and new episodes of Live PD have been pulled on A&E. The decision comes as protests of police brutality are taking place all over the world. George Floyd's death has ignited a nationwide conversation about police conduct and abuses suffered by Black Americans every day. In the place of Live PD, A&E will air Live Rescue instead. Paramount Network has been shifting COPS episodes since last week and Ghostbusters is now expected to occupy this Monday's slot that the long-running show used to hold. The channel has not commented on the fate of the episodes that were pulled yet and the show has been removed from their website. However, information concerning Live PD, Live Rescue, and spin-off shows are still able to be viewed on the website.

"Out of respect for the families of George Floyd and others who have lost their lives, in consultation with the departments we follow, and in consideration for the safety of all involved, we have made the decision not to broadcast 'Live PD' this weekend," A&E said in a statement.

COPS ran for 25 seasons on FOX and then was paired with America's Most Wanted on Saturday nights for 14 years. Spike TV picked up the show back in 2013 and facilitated new episodes while airing repeats. (Spike became Paramount Network in 2018.) Throughout its history, COPS has remained a ratings mainstay despite some calls for a re-examination of the show and the legacy it left behind.

IndieWire confirmed that ViacomCBS has no plans to air COPS at this time. Paramount Network is in the middle of a pivot away from unscripted programming. It remains unclear what will happen with the episodes of Live PD on A&E.

A&E describes their channel:

A+E Networks® is a collection of culture brands that includes A&E®, HISTORY®, Lifetime®, Lifetime Movies™, FYI,™, Vice TV and BIOGRAPHY®.

We are in the story business and just as the industry and art form have evolved, so too have we. Since our founding in 1983 with just two cable channels, we have grown into a multi-platform, multimedia, multi-genre content creator. Our brands have points of view we proudly champion and defend. We got to where we are by being great listeners, innovators and idea movers, specializing in the human experience.

What do you feel about this decision? Are you a fan of any of these shows? Let us know in the comments!