‘COPS’ is back and filming in this Washington city. Not everyone is happy about it
The Paramount Network pulled the plug on the TV show ‘COPS’ this summer following the death of George Floyd, FOX Business reported.
Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis police custody in May after being pinned to the ground for several minutes. His death reignited the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked protests against police brutality across the U.S..
But now reports say the show is filming in Spokane County, Washington, although the episodes will not be shown in the U.S., according to the Hollywood Reporter. The show will be broadcast in international territories where the network is obligated to fulfill its contracts, the outlet reported.
“We have a longstanding relationship with COPS and Langley productions, and we are pleased they have decided to return, highlighting the outstanding work our deputies provide to all of you,” Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Film crews have been on ride-alongs with Spokane deputies since September and will continue to do so through November, according to the release.
“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,” Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said in a statement. “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.”
While Knezovich welcomes “COPS” to Spokane, not everyone feels the same way. Spokane City Council president, Breean Beggs, worries about how the city might be portrayed and the privacy of its residents, the Spokesman Review reported.
“I think most people value their right to privacy and that includes not being put on television for profit, without their consent,” Beggs told the Spokesman. “In the city of Spokane, our police protect your personal privacy.”
He said he and other city council members feel it’s unethical to show people “on their worst day,” according to the newspaper. The tourist town could also suffer as the TV show couldpaint Spokane “in its worst light,” Beggs said.
Kurtis Robinson, Spokane’s NAACP president, also expressed concerns that the show disproportionately represents people of color as perpetrators, KXLY reported.
“We definitely have some mixed feelings,” said Robinson, according to KXLY. “Throughout the criminal justice system, people of color are disproportionately represented and this does not help that.”
This story was originally published October 5, 2020 at 4:03 PM with the headline "‘COPS’ is back and filming in this Washington city. Not everyone is happy about it."