NEW YORK — Fox News is reviving the long-running TV series “COPS” for its Fox Nation digital site as part of a pitch to entice police, firefighters and other first responders to sign up for the service.
Fox Nation will debut four episodes of the show’s 33rd season on October 1, with additional episodes appear weekly on Friday nights.
The series, which once appeared on the Fox broadcast network but moved to the Paramount cable network, was canceled in the wake of the George Floyd killing. The documentary-style program with the “Bad Boys” theme song showed a succession of arrests, but received criticism through the years for celebrating questionable police tactics and reinforcing racial stereotypes.
All police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians are being offered a free one-year subscription to Fox Nation. Fox said it is donating up to $50,000 to Answer the Call, an organization that supports the families of New York City first responders killed in the line of duty.
Jason Klarman, president of Fox Nation, said “COPS” is “one of the most iconic brands on television with an incredibly passionate fan base.”
He said Fox Nation “wanted to give back in a small way to those who place their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.”
The website is also premiering other programming specifically designed to appeal to first responders, including “Protect and Serve,” a series that highlights good deeds by police officers.
