Cops TV series cancelled after 31 years amid Black Lives Matter protests

The long-running reality series followed officers on patrol, responding to emergency calls and conducting sting operations among other tasks, often culminating in actual arrests.

However, the show has faced criticism in recent years for how it glorifies force used by police and disproportionately targets certain groups of suspects, including African-American men and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A recent podcast titled Running From Cops explored how some subjects were coerced into signing releases for the show and revealed that crew members have assisted police on occasion.

As protests against racism and police brutality continue across the globe, sparked by the death of George Floyd and many others before him, Cops was pulled from schedules at the beginning of the month and has now been officially cancelled.

The show's 33rd season had been expected to premiere next week, but that will no longer go ahead.

At the time of its cancellation, Cops was one of the longest running shows on American television, debuting in 1989 on FOX, where it aired for 24 years, before moving to Spike TV in 2013 (now known as Paramount Network).

In the UK, Cops has been broadcast on CBS Reality, CBS Drama and FOX. It is unclear whether repeats will continue to be shown, but RadioTimes.com has contacted these broadcasters for confirmation.

If you're looking for something to watch, visit our TV Guide.