“Live PD” television show to leave Salinas
After one controversial year tagging along with the Salinas Police Department, A&E Network television show “Live PD” is leaving the city.
Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter and Police Chief Adele Frese confirmed the news, which circulated on social media Thursday night, with KION. Gunter says this was a decision made by the show, not the City of Salinas. He says that Live PD told Salinas they wanted to go to a city that is a “little more exciting. A little more busy.”
He adds that the show was good partners with the City.
Salinas Police Chief Adele Frese said in a statement to KION Thursday night, “the producers have notified the department that they will be taking a break from Salinas as of October 21 st as part of the rotation of participating departments.”
Live PD’s presence in Salinas has been a topic of debate. While the show has been popular – a Salinas PD-hosted poll showed that 93 percent answered “yes” when asked if the show portrayed Salinas in a positive way – others strongly disagreed. Members of the public have been asking Salinas to leave the program.
While Salinas did not have plans to break the contract with “Live PD,” Gunter says that there was going to be a hearing in the near future to talk about the debate over the show.
A resolution from the Salinas Union High School District’s Board of Trustees wrote that the show is “turning real-life situations into entertainment and overgeneralizing the Salinas community as criminally inclined.”
Live PD follows different law enforcement agencies across the county, airing scenes with only a very short delay.
This is a developing story. The final show in Salinas will be this weekend, according to Mayor Gunter.
Full statement from Chief Frese:
It has been an honor for the Salinas Police Department to have been asked to participate in the documentary TV series, Live PD. The series showcases policing across the country, and in that vein, the producers have notified the department that they will be taking a break from Salinas as of October 21 st as part of the rotation of participating departments . We appreciate the opportunity to bring the public into our patrol cars and show them the reality of law enforcement. In so many ways, this program has strengthened our relationships with public and the citizens we serve, without interfering with our daily operations. While we will not be featured on upcoming live episodes, we continue to maintain an excellent relationship with Live PD and we would look forward to future participation on the program. On behalf of everyone in the Salinas Police Department, I would like to thank our community for supporting the officers who participated in Live PD.
KION 2019
