Narrator: Viewer discretion is advised.
[music playing]
Ma'am, stand up.
Get on the ground!
Stop.
Stop!
When an officer tells you to stop, you have to stop.
Let me see your hands!
Stop!
Stop the bike now!
Hands up!
Narrator: "cops" is filmed on location with the men
And women of law enforcement.
All suspects are innocent until proven
Guilty in a court of law.
I've been with the independence police department
For going on two years now.
I think it's a really good department.
The supervisors are really, really
Good about letting us young guys go
Out there and get experience.
They're always sending us to training
And doing what they can to help benefit our careers
And benefit us as people, as well as stuff
That we can take away from the job
And apply in our civilian lives.
[radio chatter]
So we got an occupied stolen that we ended up picking up--
One of our units to the south picked him up.
We're going into our downtown area.
He's failed to yield for us so far.
We'll see if we can get assistance with sticks
From other agencies.
Dispatcher: Stolen vehicle.
[radio chatter]
Will be going to kansas.
We are chasing an occupied stolen vehicle.
A silver honda with a kansas plate.
Still westbound.
Speed's 90.
Traffic's light, yielding.
He's in the number three lane.
[radio chatter]
Westbound.
Traffic's light.
Yielding for us.
Speeds of 100.
So it looks like we're going to probably go into kansas,
And kansas highway patrol is most
Likely going to pick it up, especially
With the helicopter above.
So we'll see how far we get.
Hopefully they get sticks on this guy,
But if he gets to the state line we'll have to give it off to--
We'll have to hand it off to kansas highway patrol.
About lost him.
10-50.
Dispatcher: Wrecked out, spun around--
A real slow speed.
He's reaching.
Reaching hard.
Yeah, put it up.
We've got the lanes pretty much shut down.
He's coming to stop here.
Still reaching, guys.
Hands!
One voice.
Running. Running.
It's a female.
Hands.
Show me your hands.
Hands up!
Open the door slowly.
Hands up!
Hands up.
- Got him? - Yeah.
Pull him out.
Open the door.
Come out.
Hands up.
Car's clear.
All clear.
--Just gave me a ride.
Kavadas?
- Yes, sir? - In the car.
We're driving it to the shoulder.
All right, man.
What's your name, boss?
Jonathan.
Jonathan?
You ok?
You didn't get hurt in that car crash, did you?
No, I was trying to tell her to stop, but she said, I can't.
I'm like, why not?
What'd she say?
She couldn't.
She couldn't stop?
Yeah.
She said she couldn't?
Yeah.
Ok.
She was just giving me a ride.
Take a seat.
We're going to move off to the side of the road
So we're out of traffic.
Where'd you guys pick this up at?
We saw it going into the shell at 40 and the cut off.
Ok.
We actually noticed it because that back plate is bent up,
Couldn't see anything of it.
They actually made it into kansas city,
So we were going to let it go.
About two minutes later, we're going
Through another gas station, they
Come back through independence.
We look up the plate, stolen auto, and started running.
I couldn't tell if it hit another car up there or not.
It did not hit another car.
It swerved to miss a car and then it spun itself around.
I think it just disabled its engine.
Anything in there so far?
Is that a generic?
Let's see.
Looks like it's a copy.
She said her friend who she does not know by name
Gave her the car.
Yeah.
I think right now we're just waiting on the female gets
Checked out by ems.
This is going to be the area where
Our driver bailed out of the driver's seat of the car.
She jumped a large median to cross the highway
While there was traffic coming.
Officers pursued her over here and she
Jumped the barrier here, and it sounds
Like they ended up tasing her.
Female was transported to a local hospital.
When she gets out, we're going to be
Filing felony fleeing charges.
So what happened tonight, jonathan?
I don't know.
I just asked her for a ride.
Ok.
And we got pulled over and she just stepped on the gas.
And I was like, what's wrong?
And [bleep].
How well do you know the driver?
I just met her today. I don't know her.
- You just met her today? - Yeah.
Ok.
Well, be careful who you get in the car with, man, ok?
Because the car was stolen. - Yeah.
All right?
I just wanted to let you know that.
Where'd she pick you up at?
Kansas city, missouri.
Kansas city?
When the police got behind you, what did she say?
Did she say anything?
No, she just said I ain't stopping.
She said I ain't stopping for the police?
Yeah.
Ok.
She was driving fast, wasn't she?
- I was scared. - Yeah?
You were scared?
What were you thinking when you were
In the passenger seat, man?
I was just thinking that we're going to crash, you know?
Yeah.
I put my belt on fast.
- Did you? - Yeah.
Well, at least you had your seat belt on.
It was pretty scary when you guys
Start spitting that out there.
Yeah.
Well, luckily you're all right, man.
We don't have any charges for you tonight, ok?
So you're going to get released, but we're going
To get you off the highway, ok?
So just be careful you get in the car with next time,
All right? - Ok, sir.
You guys could have easily been hurt today, ok,
Or got somebody hurt.
I'll walk home next time.
Yes.
I've been a police officer here in springfield
For about three years now.
I also live in the city.
That gives you a better touch with the people that you
Interact with, and you can sympathize and empathize
Better on certain things.
Yeah, springfield's been good to us.
It's a big enough city that you get into some stuff, but also
Small enough that you interact with a lot of the same people
On a daily basis.
[radio chatter]
It looks like we're getting a call, though,
For a burglary in progress.
There's possibly some people breaking out
Windows in a church, so we're going to see
What's going on with that.
Some type of cover?
Yeah.
Got this door here smashed out.
Same thing on the front side, and also the west side.
The caller was over there.
It's that woman that's on the phone.
Ok.
I'm the one that called.
Ok.
Are you upset?
Yeah, because he chased me a couple times.
I thought he was going to kill me.
Ok.
Did you see him go inside the store?
Or the church, sorry.
No, I live right behind the school,
And I kept hearing a banging.
And I looked out the window and I saw him with a rock trying
To break in the back door, and he
Hit it over and over and over.
The back door of this place, or of--
This.
And I called of three times, and nobody
Showed up for a long time.
Ok, then he walked in front of here.
And then he was inside the church,
Breaking the window out.
And he seen me, and he started screaming something about death
Or killing or something.
He's psychotic.
Ok.
And the last place that you saw him was inside the church?
Yes.
I didn't see him break in this one,
But just as I got to this car he--
Right up even with that door, he was breaking
That window when he seen--
From the inside?
From the inside.
And he started just--
Like a crazy man running after me.
Ok.
So when I called 911 again, I was--
Just hold on one sec.
Hang tight just for a minute.
Just stay tight.
[glass breaking]
[radio chatter]
I won't move.
I won't move, sir.
I won't move.
[panicked pleading]
I'm sorry.
I miss my family.
Get up.
I miss my family.
Hey. Quit crying.
Is anybody else with you?
I miss my family.
Is there anybody else with you?
Nobody's with me.
It's just me, guys.
It's me.
What's your name?
My name is--
My name's edward.
- How old are you? - Me?
I'm 20. I'm 20.
My name is edward.
I'm not doing nothing wrong, guys.
I promise.
Except smashing windows at a church and a school.
I know that's messed up.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, it's messed up.
Yeah, it is.
It's so messed up.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I love you guys.
Why are y'all tripping?
Because you just smashed that window.
It's fine, guys.
We're good.
I love you guys.
Why are you guys so mad at me?
I don't understand why you're mad at me.
I have nowhere to go.
No one will let me live with them.
No one will let me stay with them.
I have nothing.
Stay posted on the church.
I have nothing, bro.
I literally have nothing.
I don't even have anything.
What do I have?
A life, right?
I got a life, right?
I got a life right, sir?
- You got a cage over here? - Right, sir?
Yeah.
You're going to-- you're going to arrest me now?
Ha ha.
All in god's plan, right?
Yeah, this is god's plan.
Oh, yeah, it is.
I love you guys.
Don't be mad at me, please.
Don't be mad at me, bro.
Not mad.
Hop in the car.
All right.
I'll come back.
Ok.
Ma'am, did you see anything too?
You saw him doing this?
She was my neighbor.
When he came back the third time,
He broke off the board off the pallet
And started trying to break in, and then he
Ran off with the pallet.
I thought he'd attacked somebody.
Well, listen, the good news is all
He did was break some windows. - Yeah.
And now we've got him, so he's not going
To go do that anymore, ok?
You did really good, and nobody got hurt.
You did a great job.
Do you know if he did any more damage in there besides--
I don't know.
We're going to go inside and look once we get a dog here
And make sure there's nobody else in there.
He knows I have post-traumatic stress.
Hey, you're doing good.
He's my calmer.
Drink some water, take a deep breath.
Everything's back to normal, ok?
Ok.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
I'm glad we could help.
I was so afraid he was going to kill somebody.
He kept screaming about killing and death.
Yeah.
Well, we got a place to put him for the day, ok?
I hope more than a day, honey.
Well, we'll do what we can to keep him there, all righty?
You did great.
All right, so what happened with the church here?
I don't know.
It just happened.
I'm telling you, it just-- it happened.
It just goes like that.
I don't know what to say.
What do you want me to say?
All right.
Well, I mean, we have some witnesses
That are saying that you may or may
Not have broken the windows.
What's a witness?
A person that saw you do it.
There's witnesses?
Oh, yeah.
That's crazy.
Were you screaming about killing
People or something like that?
And death?
Death and killing.
I know, that's kind of-- that's kind of like--
That's kind of crazy.
But they kept acting like they was some movie actors, so I
Just gave them a good movie.
The people that were watching you?
Yeah.
So you gave them a movie?
You know what I'm saying?
He's real, so just believe.
Ok.
All right, well, you understand that you're going to jail
For property damage, right? - Yeah.
It's a felony amount of damage.
So you said you were giving them a movie.
It sounds like the movie ends with you going to jail.
So what did-- this crucifix is broken out here.
The lady over there said that he
Threw something out the window, so I'm assuming it's that.
Not terribly damaged.
I think we may be able to repair it.
Let's see the other half here.
So we're talking a couple thousand
Dollars worth of damage, just by smashing
All these doors and windows.
Well, for us, that's property damage,
But he's probably going to have to answer
To a higher authority than the springfield police department
For that.
I'm officer stewart with the independence police department.
Outside of work, I enjoy catfish noodling.
When I was younger, my father used to take me down south
Along the mississippi river where we'd catfish noodle,
So it's become like a ritual in the family.
I have two children of my own, and I've
Been taking them catfish noodling as well
Just to keep it in the family.
We're going to try stopping this maroon suzuki.
It's got an altered plate.
Plate comes back stolen.
She took the back roads, so kind of tipped us off a little bit.
Dispatcher: Go ahead.
Kansas on a maroon suzuki.
One occupant.
All right, we got a 10-41.
About 23rd and glenwood.
Hi there.
You have your driver's license and insurance on you?
Yeah.
The reason I stopped you, the plates
Don't belong on the vehicle.
They come back stolen.
Stolen?
Yes, ma'am.
I borrowed my friend shannon and eric's car.
Is this your vehicle?
No, my vehicle broke down.
Shannon and eric--
Go ahead and turn the car off for me.
Do you have insurance on the vehicle?
I don't know if they do.
No weapons in the vehicle?
Ok.
Go and step on out real quick.
Ok, right back against the trunk for me.
Against this trunk right here.
Hang tight with her.
How old's the baby?
He's two.
Is that your kid?
- Yeah. - Ok.
Nothing's going on, I'm just going
To make sure you're not taking off on me, make
Sure the vehicle is not stolen.
You understand?
Ok.
Hi.
Mommy's back there.
She's ok.
Ok?
Yeah?
She's ok.
I'm going to confirm it's not stolen
And we'll go from there, ok?
The license plates are still stolen, though.
I didn't know that.
You didn't see the alteration to it?
No, I never paid attention.
I've literally been borrowing it from them for like three days.
They used white out.
I never looked at the license plate.
I just assumed.
Ok.
Can we hang tight with her?
We're going to check to see if she
Has any warrants real quick.
She's going to go under arrest for receiving
Stolen property for having the plates that are altered.
They're actually stolen out of kansas city, kansas, I believe.
[radio chatter]
All right, alexa.
Turn around for me. - Why?
- You're under arrest. - For what?
For the stolen license plates.
I'm getting arrested for a stolen--
Turn around.
Stop.
Put your hands behind your back.
Who's somebody we can call to come get your kid?
She told me she's on their way.
Can I call them? - Stop.
Why am I under arrest for a stolen license plate?
I didn't know.
That doesn't matter.
It's her car.
Can I tell her?
Well, who do you want us to call to come get your kid?
Shannon.
- Is she still on there? - Yeah.
- Shannon. - Here.
Come back here.
Is there somebody closer we can call?
Yes.
Do you have anything on you that's illegal?
- No. - Nothing on you at all?
No.
Yeah, will check her real quick?
Can I answer please?
Yeah.
You have two ankle monitors?
Yeah.
What the hell?
Can I call his dad?
Yeah, that's fine.
Will you search her?
Do you have anything on you?
No.
Separate your feet for me.
Wide.
Hey, I'm going to jail.
I need you to hurry up and come get the baby and my purse.
When you get her--
Can you get my purse?
I'll grab it.
Hurry.
I need you to hurry and come get the baby, please.
I'll be there in 10 minutes.
No, like now.
I'm coming. I'm coming.
I'm going to jail for a stolen license plate.
This is [bleep].
Call shannon right now.
I'm coming, man.
I'm coming, dude.
Hurry.
Come get me out.
Arlington.
It's her car.
Can I--
Who are you on an ankle monitor with?
[gives answer]
Both of them?
No, the other one's probation.
We're good.
We're going to wait for her dad.
Yeah.
Just doing a search of her purse.
She's showing on probation, I believe
For tampering with stolen autos and possibly possession.
Broken glass pipe.
Synthetic urine.
That's used for passing drug tests if you're on probation
Or trying for a job.
Alexa, I know you have a history with us.
I located two pipes in the vehicle
And then the stolen license plates.
Where were you headed?
Literally shannon and eric's house.
I don't know who they are.
They live up north.
My truck broke down.
They're fixing my truck.
They let me use the car.
Why were you taking all the back roads?
I didn't want to see a cop.
Ok.
I mean, at least you're being honest with me.
It makes sense.
I saw you coming across sterling,
I was like, why are you driving around in this car?
Because I know you've been in stolen cars before.
These people are good people.
Shannon and eric are good people, for real.
They're old.
They're not-- they're on no [bleep]..
I swear to god.
They watch my kid.
They're old.
They're cool people.
They got stolen plates on their car.
I didn't think nothing of it.
I had no idea.
I really, for real, thought it was cool.
I swear to god.
Especially putting your kid in that car?
Come on. - No, no.
For real, that's some [bleep].
Because, for once, that's why I borrowed the car, man.
Because it ain't stolen.
The first time ever, huh?
I'm trying, man.
I swear to god.
- The plates are stolen, though. - I didn't know.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
I had no idea.
I figured it was the plate--
I didn't even think that--
Is that your beautiful artwork on that license plate?
No.
[bleep] no.
Are you sure?
You're positive?
I swear to god, I'd never do something so trashy.
Don't be carrying your kid out in some car you don't know.
I had no idea.
I truly-- I really didn't.
You probably don't believe me, but for real I would
Never put my kid in that spot.
Ok.
I would never do that.
I love my son to death, dog.
Ok.
You're going to go for the possession of paraphernalia,
Ok?
And the receiving stolen property.
Do you have any questions for me?
Can you please give-- make sure he grabs my wallet?
And the ebt card and everything's in there.
- Your wallet? - Yeah.
- Is it in your purse? - Yeah.
But you want your purse to go with him?
And my ankle bracelet charger, please.
It's like $175.
Ok. I'll grab it.
It's in the front seat.
Ok, sounds good.
Oh, and the other ankle brakes the battery.
It's in my wallet.
I didn't see the charger.
I saw the other battery.
The charger-- there's a battery, and the charger
Is in the front seat.
In the front seat?
Ok.
He's coming right here.
It's all good, man.
I'll just bring it back with you.
Ebt card in--
[screaming]
I love you.
Get me out.
Damn, you got an ankle monitor too, bro?
Where's yours out of?
[screaming]
Sir, can you lift that seat up for me?
Here's the stuff, man.
Do you know whose vehicle that is?
Yeah, I know exactly who's vehicle it is.
They're working on our truck and they
Loaned the vehicle to her while they're working on her truck.
Ok.
It's being towed.
You know the owner, though, right?
- I know the owner. - Yeah.
They can go get it out right now if they need to.
She can call you as soon as she gets there, ok?
Get me out!
[radio chatter]
[music playing]