By Erica Thomas, managing editor
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway held a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 29, to talk about his deputies being featured on A&E’s Live PD.
Pettway said a lot of people who called the sheriff’s office said they were proud to see the deputies and commended them for their professionalism during the live broadcast.
“This helps us bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community,” said Pettway. “They saw such a professional job by my deputies and they bragged about it.”
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office began filming with the show last week. The purpose, Pettway said, is for citizens to be able to see what the officers in their neighborhoods are doing. He hopes people who see the deputies on television will get to know them and feel more comfortable engaging with them.
“Anything that you need to share with them, please let us know. We’re there to protect you,” said Pettway.
Several deputies were selected to take part in filming with Live PD. Pettway said the Sheriff’s Neighborhood Enforcement Team, or S-NET, is a diverse group of men and women that he feels represents the county well.
“They’re a great and excellent team and they go out and do a great and excellent job,” said Pettway. “We’re proud of the team and we’re proud with the selection of everyone that’s on the team.”
Pettway said those areas of high crime are identified by captains working in each area of the county.
Sgt. Ryan Strickland, the supervisor of S-NET, said the deputies will not be doing anything different as the camera crews follow them around the county.
“It’s not going to stop us from doing our job like we always do it,” said Strickland. “And that’s professional.”
The camera crews wear protective gear and are trained before joining law enforcement on the streets.
“They say, ‘Just ignore us and it will be like we’re not even there,’ and it’s true,” said Strickland.
Strickland said his team of deputies is caring and wants all neighborhoods to be safe.
“Right now, we’ve got some neighborhoods that aren’t so safe and our job is to go in there and handle it and to make sure people get to see their kids grow up the way we did when we were young, out in the yard playing,” said Strickland. “Now, kids can’t do that. They’re stuck in their houses, playing video games and they don’t know anything about the outside.”
Sheriff Pettway said he has no concerns about community members reacting to seeing the crime that happens in their neighborhoods.
“I do not believe they will be cast in a negative light at all. The deputies are doing a great job,” explained Pettway. “They have already captured several of the 10 most wanted on the FBI’s list. They’re cleaning up the neighborhoods, they’re letting business owners know that we’re here. They’re letting the residents know that we’re here.”
Pettway said during filming, the team will be patrolling throughout Jefferson County, particularly in high-crime areas.
“We want to target those areas first,” said Pettway. “But we’re going all throughout Jefferson County making sure everyone is safe.”
The show also airs “Missing” and “Wanted” segments which, according to A&E, has helped departments locate missing children and captured fugitives. In addition to the live shows, A&E will film pre-taped segments at the Sheriff’s Office during the week that will chronicle the challenges deputies face on a daily basis.
Filming consists of and incorporates dashcams, handheld and fixed rig cameras in patrol cars to film what happens on a typical Friday and Saturday night patrol. The style of the show is to take a fly-on-wall approach by following deputies “in-the-moment.” There is no music, script, interviews, narrator or recreations in the show.
A&E works with communities across America to feature a cross-section of law enforcement and agencies. The series will air in Jefferson County on Friday and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. to midnight CST. The show airs on cable and reaches over 7 million viewers, according to A&E.
A&E says that interaction with Live PD’s social media platforms is among the highest of any show on television. Viewers can follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @officiallivepd.
You can view The Trussville Tribune’s Facebook live of the press conference with Sheriff Pettway, below.
