ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A&E Network has canceled the police reality series “Live PD."
The cable network announced the move Wednesday, a day after Paramount Network ”dropped the similar show “Cops."
A&E said in a statement that it's a critical time in the nation's history and it's ceasing production on “Live PD” as it seeks better ways to tell stories of police interaction with communities.
The decision, according to outlets Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, comes as protests against police brutality and racial injustice continue nationwide.
A&E's announcement also happens after it was revealed a "Live PD" camera crew had footage of Javier Ambler, a black man dying while in the custody of Williamson County, Texas, deputies, but the video was "no longer retained."
"This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD," A&E said in a statement, according to Variety. "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."
Ambler died in March 2019 while in the custody of Williamson County sheriff's deputies. KVUE-TV reports bodycam footage from an Austin police officer is the only video that has been released so far of Ambler's deadly arrest.
A&E removed new episodes of "Live PD" from its schedule earlier this week, while "Cops" was canceled entirely.
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