Pasco deputies go live on cable TV show

WESLEY CHAPEL (FOX 13) - Viewers across the nation got a look at what Pasco County deputies face daily during the A&E show "Live PD."

The show debuted its second season on Friday night, with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office as one of six agencies taking camera crews along for a ride on national television.

"It's been compared to the show "Cops," only it's live," explained Amy Marinec, a public information officer for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

"Live PD," hosted by news anchor Dan Abrams, showed Deputy Cortland Harris and Corporal Steven Walker responding to multiple calls throughout west Pasco County, including a traffic stop where a driver allegedly had a suspended license, and alleged shoplifters caught in the act at a local Walmart.

Producers working out of a control center in New York say they are able to cut into multiple calls throughout the country during the show.

"The sheriff feels strongly about making sure that our community sees what our deputies face, and that's why we've agreed to have Live PD drive with us," said Marinec.

Countless arrests have been broadcast live on the show in precincts around the country. The show frequently airs a warning, reminding viewers that people filmed have not yet been convicted of a crime.

Many of the people don't have their faces blurred. The sheriff's office said, when it comes to privacy, what's being filmed is no different than what's recorded on body cameras.

"We have body-worn cameras all the time, on all of our deputies anyway, so again, transparency is key in this agency. The sheriff feels very strongly about transparency, and "Live PD" is really another tool," said Marinec.

A representative of "Live PD" told FOX 13 the show operates under similar guidelines as a news agency recording the public at the scene of a crime. They said the show is on a delay, in case they need to blur anything out, and they have a "team of lawyers" in the live studio making the call on what's appropriate to air.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office will be featured for several weeks this season, according to a "Live PD" representative.

"Live PD" airs on A&E at 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.