Nearly four months after it was canceled by Paramount Network, “Cops” has quietly resumed production in Spokane County, Washington.
The sheriff’s department in Spokane confirmed Thursday that two “Cops” film crews have been riding with the County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Deputies since September and will do so through December. “We have a longstanding relationship with COPS and Langley productions, and we are pleased they have decided to return,” the Sherrif’s office said in a press release.
The episodes will not air in the U.S. but are being produced in order to fulfill contractual commitments the series has with the international territories where it airs, a rep for the show’s producer, Langley Productions, told TheWrap.
“Cops” was canceled after a 33-year run by the Paramount Network amid the nationwide protests against police brutality after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.
A&E also canceled its top-rated “Live PD,” which also followed officers on patrol.
“Shows like COPS highlight the work of law enforcement. They show, even for a few minutes, what the men and women out protecting our communities deal with day in and day out,” Sherrif Ozzie Knezovich said in a statement. “People need to see how quickly things can turn, the decisions that need to be made quickly, and how well Deputies and Officers adjust and respond appropriately. They show the hard work and professionalism of law enforcement, despite what some anti-law enforcement activists and those in the media want you to believe.”