On Patrol: Live does air live footage, but the show acknowledges that some of its footage is edited and that there might be a slight time delay.
Broadcasting live footage has always been one of On Patrol: Live’s main selling points. And although the show maintains that it airs footage in real time, in some instances, this footage may be edited.
Is On Patrol: Live really live?
The once-again rebooted On Patrol: Live, which started airing in 2022 (previously known as Live PD) has had a contentious history fraught with controversy.
Throughout the years, the show has faced allegations of being biased, hiding evidence, pedaling “copaganda”, and has even been involved in copyright infringement lawsuits.
With all of these allegations floating around, it would not seem entirely out of the question for the show to be less “live” than it promises.
John Zito (the executive producer of On Patrol: Live and its predecessor, Live PD) confirmed in a 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly that they do capture footage “in real time, unedited.”
He claims that this allows the public to witness from the first moment that a call comes in, to when the matter is eventually resolved.
It is, however, worth noting that in this same interview, he admitted that they do edit some of the footage so as to not interfere with ongoing investigations and that the FAQ section on the Reelz website mentions both live footage and pre-taped content.
So all of the footage may not be as close to real life as promised on the show.
Is there a time delay with the On Patrol: Live footage?
It is not unusual for live-streamed footage to have a short built-in delay to ensure that there are no unnecessary interruptions or buffering while viewers at home are watching. The Reelz website confirms that this is also the case with On Patrol: Live.
However, they do clarify that this delay is never more than 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise this lapse would have to be acknowledged on air.
Why would the On Patrol: Live footage need editing?
The police departments who consent to have the On Patrol: Live cameras filming their activities are permitted to request that the show edit its footage.
However, On Patrol: Live insists that this editing only takes place in situations where the footage may endanger citizens and the police officers’ safety and security, or if it could compromise ongoing investigations.
Who makes the final editing decisions for the show?
The Reelz website and Zito have confirmed that the On Patrol: Live producers maintain creative control over the show’s footage, even though the police departments can request editing.
Reelz also explains that in most cases, footage must be edited when it violates Reelz’s or the network’s standards and best practices protocols.
