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Well, that was quick. Cops is returning to television four months after Paramount Network canceled the show amid nationwide protests surrounding George Floyd’s death.
In June, the network claimed it was moving away from unscripted programming when it pulled and subsequently canceled the long-running show from its schedule. As it turns out, Paramount Network had every intention to revive the show once the protests cooled off.
The streets are still hot. Police brutality is a running theme in the news, and protests are growing strong simultaneously in various cities across the nation. So, why have Cops producers resumed filming?
According to Deadline, they were “producing fresh episodes for international territories only, and there are no plans for them to air in the U.S.“
Film crews started riding shotgun with the Spokane County deputies in September and will wrap up sometime in early November. Despite local opposition from the community, law enforcement is thrilled to return to the limelight.
“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,” Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said in a press release.
“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.”
Who are they trying to convince, Nova Scotia? Police are still killing people of color and getting away with it.
Airing this show is beyond exploitative and a borderline form of propaganda. No amount of television air time can alter the international disgrace left by police departments’ corrupt behavior on citizens across the country.
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Photo: Getty
