Cops is one of the longest-running television shows in the United States. It premiered on the Fox network on March 11, 1989. The show's formula follows the cinéma vérité convention, which does not consist of any narration, scripted dialogue, incidental music or added sound effects. In June 2020, Paramount Network pulled the show from its schedule in response to George Floyd protests following his death while under arrest by the Minneapolis Police Department.