Paramount Network has put an end to Cops after a six-year run with the company in the aftermath of George Floyd's death and worldwide protests against police brutality and excessive force. Recently, it had been reported that Paramount was pulling the newest season of Cops from their television schedule, leaving the future of the series unclear. Now, Deadline is reporting that the network has gone ahead and officially cut ties with the police-centered show, as a spokesperson for Paramount said the company doesn't "have any current or future plans for it to return" on the network.

Cops has spent the past six years on Paramount Network, but the series has been running on television for decades. The series first premiered on Fox in 1989, airing for 25 seasons before the network ended the series in 2013. It was quickly revived on Spike TV, where it ran for an additional five seasons. When Spike TV rebranded as the Paramount Network in 2018, it carried over Cops along with it, and there were no immediate plans to end the series anytime soon. Whether the series finds new life on another network or streaming service is unclear at this time, but I certainly wouldn't bet on seeing it happen anytime in the near future.

Given the subject matter seen on Cops, it's understandable why Paramount Network isn't moving forward with airing any new episodes. Most episodes of the long-running docu-series follow police officers placing suspected criminals under arrest for various crimes, sometimes using force to keep the suspects under control. Given the horrifying circumstances of George Floyd's death and the worldwide calls for police reform, it would be hard for most viewers to see the series the same as they had just a few months ago. The decision is sure to upset some, but many others will certainly consider this to be the right call.

Also in jeopardy is the similar police-centered television series Live PD on the A&E Network. A&E had similarly pulled Live PD from last weekend's television schedule in respect to the Black Lives Matter movement and those mourning the death of George Floyd. As of now, the network has not axed the show as Paramount has with Cops, and A&E execs are reportedly evaluating the right time to bring the series back to television. As the national protests have continued, it doesn't seem likely we'll see this series back on the air anytime soon, though it might help for fans to know it hasn't been given the boot just yet.

Looking at its history, Cops has proven to be a formidable series, becoming a household name and a mainstay on television sets for over three decades. It's always possible it can come back on another network at some point in the future if people are receptive to the idea, but that remains to be seen. As it is now, however, Cops is over and done with on television after 32 seasons and an astonishing 1,100 episodes. This news comes to us from Deadline.