'Live PD' Producers Eliminated Footage That 'Violated The Police Department's Policy,' Says Report

A&E's "Live PD" was pulled from the air in the midst of ongoing protests surrounding police brutality, discrimination, and racial issues, a new report has indicated that the Dan Abrams-hosted docu-series may have edited the footage on the show to portray law enforcement officials in a favorable light.

According to the Daily Beast, emails, video clips, and records obtained by The Marshall Project revealed that the reality show had "allowed agencies to ask to eliminate footage before and after the program aired." The findings came after the nonprofit organization requested records from 47 agencies that had participated in the show. Ultimately, they received documents from over 20.

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After reviewing the material, The Marshall Project was able to conclude that officers were "routinely allowed to review footage," which could counter the seemingly-transparent nature that "Live PD" became known for over the years. Of those agencies, 13 reportedly asked the A&E show not to air specific encounters.

Footage of a police officer hitting a skateboarder with an open door in 2018 following a robbery, deputies forcefully grabbing a woman named as a victim of domestic violence, and a Louisiana officer reportedly calling a Black man “boy" were among those interactions that were allegedly pulled from "Live PD" episodes.

As stated by the publication, requests would later be made to remove the footage as it "violated the police department's policy." In an email sent by Capt. Ryan Sornberger, a supervising officer who had been able to view the 2018 tape, he elaborated on his request by saying that airing the footage would be setting the department up for "some scrutiny issues with the city and our insurance company."

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Big Fish Entertainment, the company behind "Live PD," later responded to the accusations in a statement by saying there were "no incidents where production covered up for police - and there is nothing to be gained by protecting anyone."

It has also been reported that an employee of Abrams’ company donated to The Marshall Project as the story was being reported, but the contribution was turned away due to the fact that they do not accept gifts that "could be perceived as seeking to influence our coverage." However, a spokesman for Abrams Media stated that the employee had been unaware of the current story at the time of the attempted donation.

At this time, A&E has not responded to the Daily Beast's request for comment.