A&E cancels ‘Live PD’, one of the highest-rated basic cable shows, in response to George Floyd protests

A&E has canceled its popular series “Live PD” after the show was put on hiatus in the wake of the death of George Floyd, according to multiple reports. 

The decision was made by both A&E and MGM’s Big Fish Entertainment, the producer of the show, Deadline reported.

“This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD,” the network said in a statement to the outlet. “Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them.”

“And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments,” it added.

The network and the production company said there was not a path forward for the show in its current form, according to Deadline. The show followed U.S. police departments in real time on patrol, and was the No. 1 show on Fridays and Saturdays on ad-supported cable in 2019, according to Deadline.

The cancelation follows the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died last month after a former Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes during an arrest. Protests calling for widespread police reforms have since erupted across the country.

Authorities also released video of the death of Javier Ambler, a black man, in Austin, Texas this week. Police had crews from “Live PD” riding with them when authorities began chasing the man after he failed to dim his headlights. Ambler can be heard in the video telling police that he has a heart condition and cannot breathe while they restrained him and used a stun gun on him.

“Live PD” host Dan Abrams tweeted Tuesday telling that the show was “coming back,” prior to the news of its cancelation. 

Abrams tweeted Wednesday saying he is “Shocked & beyond disappointed about this.”

Shocked & beyond disappointed about this. To the loyal #LivePDNation please know I, we, did everything we could to fight for you, and for our continuing effort at transparency in policing. I was convinced the show would go on. . More to come. . .https://t.co/WWh7fDrig2

— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 10, 2020

The move comes one day after Paramount Network officials canceled the long-popular “Cops.” Some have called for the cancellation of a slate of television shows about law enforcement, including some criticism — and jokes — directed toward the children’s television show “Paw Patrol,” an animated series about police pups, The New York Times reported.