Filming begins in Fort Myers for COPS TV show

Film crews for the hit TV show "COPS" will follow the Fort Myers Police Department for the next eight weeks.

Filming began Tuesday night. Crew members will follow a selected number of officers during their stay in Lee County.

As filmmakers are rolling their cameras, police officers will be also filming — the first body cameras will be worn by officers Wednesday and Thursday.

"It's been awhile, but they've been here before," Fort Myers police Lt. Jay Rodriguez said of "COPS," the popular TV show now in its 27th season.

Rodriguez said officers have always been instructed to be aware that at any moment a camera can be recording their behavior.

"Quite honestly, the only difference is knowing you may be on national television," Rodriguez said. "Having a camera on should not affect the way you perform."

Filming typically occurs at night, Rodriguez said.

Experienced officers are chosen for the show, Rodriguez said.

"You don't want to put them with a one-year officer," Rodriguez said. "That will make the officer really nervous."

The 27th season of the long-running show, produced by Langley Productions, began in July of last year. Since its premiere in 1989, it's followed law enforcement officers across 140 different cities, according to the show's website.

It's filmed in Lee County during multiple occasions. An episode list shows it filmed Lee County sheriff's deputies in 2007.

This isn't the first time it's filmed the Fort Myers Police Department, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez participated in one of the show's previous Fort Myers installments. He said he was filmed during a foot pursuit.

"They (filmmamkers) concentrated a lot on our narcotics officers," Rodriguez said.

The show will hopefully show the community what it takes to be a police officer in Fort Myers, Rodriguez said.

"It's always positive exposure," he said. "It gives the community any insight into what we do and the stuff we take to protect them."