Cops has resumed production after it was cancelled in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
Paramount Network has reversed course returned to filming the long-standing series Cops, Fox News recently reported. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press release that filming was is underway in Spokane County, Washington, which has previously hosted the show. Filming resumed in September and will continue until November.
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“We have a longstanding relationship with Cops and [series producer] Langley Productions, and we are pleased they have decided to return, highlighting the outstanding work our deputies provide to all of you,” the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich added that Cops would counter the narrative that law enforcement was not a benefit to communities.
“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,” Knezovich said.
“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.”
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However, these new episodes will not be aired in the United States. A spokesperson for Langley Productions told The Hollywood Reporter that these episodes are being filmed for an international audience to fulfill contractual obligations.
Cops was taken off the air in June after Floyd’s death while in the custody of Minneapolis police. Now former officer Derek Chauvin placed a knee on the Black man’s neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin and three other officers were charged and arrested for killing Floyd.
Amid the scrutiny and protest against law enforcement, Cops was canceled before the premiere of its 33rd season.
“Cops is not on the Paramount Network and we don’t have any current or future plans for it to return,” a network spokesperson stated in the summer.
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