photo by: Eric Ayres

The Wheeling Police Department will be featured in the documentary series “On Patrol: Live” every Friday and Saturday night beginning Sept. 12 on REELZ.

WHEELING — Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said he is eager for the public to get a unique perspective on what Wheeling’s officers really do on the job when the department is featured in the documentary series “On Patrol: Live.”

Beginning on Sept. 12, the Wheeling Police Department will be part of the series on REELZ. The live show will broadcast from 9 p.m. to midnight every Friday and Saturday night.

“There is a little bit of a buffer just for sensitivity purposes,” Schwertfeger said. “But it is live, and then it re-airs during the week on REELZ.”

“On Patrol: Live” is a documentary series hosted by Dan Abrams who, alongside a panel of experts, provides minute-by-minute live analysis as the show documents for viewers in real time the everyday work of police officers on patrol in departments across the nation.

Schwertfeger said the Wheeling Police Department is the first law enforcement agency in the state of West Virginia to participate in the series.

“I’m excited,” he said. “They essentially just chronicle the police profession. They’re riding with police officers. We don’t do anything different. We don’t set up anything special to try to highlight the agency. We just answer calls.”

While the Wheeling Police Department’s first night as part of the series will launch on Sept. 12 and is expected to continue each weekend for six months, participation in the series could continue “indefinitely,” Schwertfeger said, noting that it will be up to the police department and the network to determine if the contract for participating in the program will be extended into the future.

Schwertfeger indicated that the show’s producers learned about the Wheeling Police Department because of news coverage about the department’s successful efforts to lower crime rates, the implementation of its Crisis Response Unit and other activities surrounding the force.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to showcase what we do,” the police chief said. “We’ve got really good numbers again this year so far. That’s one of the things they’ve commented on – why they wanted to come to Wheeling.”

Because of the show’s experience with working alongside officers in agencies across the country for previous “On Patrol: Live” segments, the crew that chronicles the action are no strangers to police work and the kinds of things that take place on the beat.

“They’ll ride with two separate officers, and there’s a crew of two,” Schwertfeger said. “It’s pretty low-key. Those guys are all experienced – they just transition from different agencies.”

Sometimes police work is “hit or miss,” Schwertfeger added, noting that at times, the show’s crew will take footage during the week, as well.

The police chief indicated that participation in the live series is voluntary among those on patrol in the department.

For officers who are interested in participating – and some aren’t – but those that are are excited about it,” the chief said, noting that the department has always been transparent, and the series will underscore its transparency. “I’m proud of the efforts of the men and women of the Wheeling PD. My goal is this: let’s highlight that in hopes that others will want to join the ranks of the Wheeling PD. We still have vacancies. We’re doing better, but we’re always doing anything we can to recruit.”

Schwertfeger said the community has provided tremendous support for the Wheeling Police Department, but few people in the general public truly understand the things that officers do on a daily basis to protect and serve the community.

“The main reason I like it is because we’re supported in this area primarily – there’s support for law enforcement and public safety, but not everyone – even those in support – really know what the men and women do,” he said. “So it will be important for those folks to see that. Some of it will be funny, some of it will be sad, some of it will be scary. But I want people to know what the young men and women who chose this profession have to do and the sacrifices they make.”

For information on the REELZ documentary series “On Patrol: Live,” visit www.reelz.com or check out the series’ official pages on social media.